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A GARDEN WHICH MARY FRANCES AND BILLY PLANTED
3 MbDD D1D2M filDT
The
JohnC.WinstorT
Compan)^
Philadelph
The Mary Frances
Garden Book
or
Adventures Among
the Garden People
by Jane Eayre Fryer
w^iih Illustrations
by WilliamE Zwirner
CAUTION
The entire contents of this book are protected by the
stringent new copj'right law, and all persons are warned
not to attempt to reproduce the text, in whole or in part,
or any of the illustrations.
Copyright, 1916, by
Jane Eatre Fbteb
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
THE MARY FRANCES COOK BOOK
OR
ADVENTURES AMONG THE KITCHEN PEOPLE
The Mary Frances Cook Book is the exceptionally clever and fascinating story of a little girl
who wanted to learn to help her mother. Only it is much more than a story. It tells in story
form how Mary Frances learned to cook. She wants to know what all the kitchen pots and pans
are for, so she asks them. And they tell her — the pots and pans talk. The book gives recipes in
the simplest, plainest words. It describes every operation clearly — just what Alary Frances did,
and how she learned to avoid mistakes. The book stimulates the imagination and creates a desire
to follow Marv Frances' example. 8vo. Cloth, 170 pages. Over 200 colored illustrations by
Margaret G. Hayes and Jane Allen Boyer. PRICE, $1.20 NET.
THE MARY FRANCES SEWING BOOK
OR
ADVENTURES AMONG THE THIMBLE PEOPLE
It tells, in as quaint and delightful a story as ever appealed to a child's imagination, how the
fairy Thimble People teach Mary Frances to sew. It teaches the reader how to sew — how to
make every variety of garment — how to make the various stitches — how to use patterns — how to
fold and cut the material — how to piece it together. The book includes a complete set of pat-
terns for doll-clothes — undergarments — street clothes — coats — hats — even a wedding drees.
Illustrated with 300 colored drawings that for interest and instruction are absolutely inimitable.
320 pages. 8vo. Cloth bound, with colored inlay on front. Colored illustrations by Jane Allen
Boyer on every page. PRICE, $1.50 NET.
THE MARY FRANCES HOUSEKEEPER
OR
ADVENTURES AMONG THE DOLL PEOPLE
A glimpse into this book is enough to make a girl's heart leap. Here she finds not only the
story of the Paper Doll Family of Sandpile Village, and how they acquired a home, but also the
paper dolls themselves — thirty-six large sheets of dolls and of the new, patented kind of cut-out
furniture. The practical explanations of household duties and management are woven in so
skilfully that as the story tells how Mary Frances learned to dust, or sweep, or make beds, the
little reader takes it all in eagerly as part of the story. 250 pages. 1% x 9>^ inches. Illustra-
tions on every page. Cloth, with colored inlay on front. PRICE, $1.50 NET.
REFACE
Dear Boys and Girls:
Mary Frances and Billy have been growing up,
and with their growing, they have learned to love
the great out-of-doors.
No, they haven't outgrown fairy folk, at least
Mary Frances hasn't, for that is a part of this story —
how Feather Flop, the rooster, and Jack-in-the-Pulpit
and Bouncing Bet, the fairies of the wood, helped
teach her to garden.
But in their study and work, Mary Frances and
Billy learned more than that — they learned to ap-'
predate what a wonderful amount of energy is ex-
pended by Mother Nature in growing one little plant
from a seed; how careful she is that nothing be
wasted; and what pleasure there is in tilUng the soil,
and helping things grow!
Everything else in the Mary Frances stories had
Preface
to do with indoors: in cooking, feeding the body;
in sewing, clothing the body; in housekeeping, shel-
tering the body. In gardening, which took them
out-of-doors, the children had so much fun and had
so much to learn, that the whole story cannot be
put down here — you must finish it out for yourselves
in your own gardens.
That you, too, may learn to help things grow,
and share the pleasure which Mary Frances and
Billy, and their friends, Eleanor and Bob, had in
making a garden, is the wish of
The Author.
Merchantville, N. J.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XL
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
ONTENTS
Feather Flop, the Garden Boss .
Feather Flop Oversleeps . .
Billy Plans the Garden . .
Feather Flop's Argument . .
Gardens for Little Folks .
Gardens for Big Boys and Girls
Early Spring Garden
Early Summer Garden
Mid-Summer Garden
Autumn Garden
Some Favorite Annuals
Window Boxes
Billy Tests the Soil
How TO Plant
The Outdoor Seed-Bed
Seed Babies and Their Nurses .
Names of Parts of Flowers. . .
Vlll
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
XVIII. Good Mrs. Bee 102
XIX. The Story of Fertilization . . . 106
XX. The Story of the Honey Bee. . 113
XXI. How THE Bees Work 119
XXII. The Children's Money-making
Plans 126
XXIII. Mr. Hop Toad Hops In 131
XXIV. Mr. Cutworm, the Villain . . . 142
XXV. Birds as Plants' Friends .... 145
XXVI. Little Ladybird 153
XXVII. Curly Dock 157
XXVIII. The Stupid Honey Drops .... 161
XXIX. Some Sprays for Garden Pests . 165
XXX. Early Vegetables 170
XXXI. Feather Flop's Temptation . . . 175
XXXII. Feather Flop Gets Angry . . .178
XXXIII. Father and Mother's Surprise . 183
XXXIV. Feather Flop Makes Up .... 188
XXXV. Roses 192
XXXVI. The Best Roses to Plant .... 199
"Aii
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
XXXVII. The Wicked Rose Bugs 211
XXXVIII. The Fairy Wood Nymphs .... 217
XXXIX. Good and Bad Weeds 225
XL. Bouncing Bet and Her Friends . 233
XLI. Buttercup and Daisy Families . 242
XLII. Water Babies 249
XLIII. How Plants Grow 257
XLIV. A Wicked Innkeeper 262
XLV. Uninvited Guests 267
XL VI. How Seed Babies Travel .... 270
XL VII. Have a Seat on a Toad Stool. . 274
XL VIII. Some Ways to Rid of Weeds . . 280
XLIX. Queen's Lace Trims Well . . . 287
L. The Wild Flower Garden. . . . 292
LI. Growing Perennials from Seed . 298
LII. The Money the Children Made . 303
LIII. Mary Frances' Garden Party . .310
LIV. Feather Flop's Conceit 323
LV. Bob and Billy's Vacation .... 328
LVI. Daffodil and Other Bulbs . . . 334
LVII.
LVIII.
LIX.
LX.
LXI.
LXII.
LXIII.
LXIV.
LXV.
Contents
PAGE
Billy Builds a Hotbed 344
Some Hints on Growing Vege-
tables 348
The City Garden 360
Garden Color-Pictures 364
Patterns for Paper Flowers . . 367
The Mary Frances Garden Cut-
OuTS 371
Little Gardeners' Calendar . . 373
Budding and Grafting 376
Prizes at the County Fair . . . 377
To be Cut Out and Mounted by the Reader
(For Instructions, See Chapter LXII)
1. Mary Frances' Play House I, II
2. Mary Frances' Early Spring Garden . . Ill
3. Mary Frances' Early Summer Garden . IV
4. Mary Frances' Mid-Summer Garden ... V
5. Mary Frances' Autumn Garden VI
These cut-outs will familiarize the child with the
plants shown, and their season of bloom, and inspire
a love for practical out-of-door gardening.
HE PLANT FAMILIES
Cherry
Rose
Blackberry
Strawberry
Peach
Apple
Potato
Egg Plant
Tomato
NSTRDCTIONS ■
GARDENING
CHAPTER
1. To Prepare the Soil XIII, XIV
2. How TO Plant Seeds . XIV, XV
3. Names of Parts of Flowers . . . XVII, LXI
4. Fertilization or Reproduction . . XIX-XXI
5. Insect Enemies and Remedies XXIX
6. How TO Plant Bulbs LVI
7. Concerning Vegetables LVIII
8. Roses: How to Plant and Tend
xxxv-xxxvir
9. The Best Roses to Grow XXXVI
10. Annuals: When and How to Plant ... XI
11. Perennials: When and How to Plant . . . LI
12. How TO Tell the Common Wild
Flowers XXXIX-XLVIII
13. How Plants Grow- XLIII
14. How TO Make a Hotbed LVII
Instructions
HE GARDEN PEOPLE
Good Mrs. Bee
Feather Flop
Little Lady Bird
Beauty Butterfly
Mr. Hop Toad
Mr. Cut Worm
The Wicked
Rose Bugs
"O
CHAPTER I
Feather Flop, the Garden Boss
H, dear, I can't understand a word this book
says," sighed Mary Frances, who was sitting
on the garden bench, looking over a seed
catalogue. ''I can't understand it!"
''Of course j^ou can't," said a strange voice. ''Not
without help."
Mary Frances was startled; she looked about, but
saw no one.
"Why, who can it be?" she exclaimed.
" You can't without help, I said."
Feather Flop, the big Rhode Island Red rooster,
came strutting around the corner of the bench.
"Why, is it you?" cried Mary Frances. "What do
you know about gardening?"
"I ought to know a lot about gardening. Fve
lived in a garden most of the time ever since I was
hatched," shrilled Feather Flop.
"Yes, you have," laughed Mary Frances, "and
you've eaten up what you oughtn't to, too."
The Mary Frances Garden Book
^'That was when I was bad. Fm going to be good
now
''Oh, well, that is different," replied Mary Frances.
''What's the first thing to do?"
"Let me see," said Feather Flop, scratching
his head with one foot. "Let me see — why, the
first thing — the first thing is to get the ground
ready!"
"What do you do to get it ready?" asked Mary
Frances.
" Wh}^, dig, of course," answered Feather Flop. " I
can dig."
"Well, well," rephed Mary Frances, "I see you
really want to help me, so we'll plan out what we're
going to do. I want all kinds of flowers and vege-
tables."
"Did you start the seeds in the house in March so
that some would be ready to set out now?" asked
Feather Flop anxiously.
"Oh, no," said Mary Frances, "but Billy did. He
has a lot of little seedlings growing."
"Can't you steal some?" asked Feather Flop.
"Oh, I wouldn't do that, Feather Flop," said Mary
Feather Flop, the Garden Boss
Frances. "Would you? Fd rather ask Billy for
them."
''Don't say anything about me when you do,"
begged the rooster;
"Why?" queried Mary Frances.
''I'm afraid of him. He's chased me out of
the "
"Vegetable garden several times this Spring,
already," laughed Mary Frances. "Maybe if he knew
how much you wanted to help with this surprise garden
of mine, he would be kinder to you."
"He's kind enough," said Feather Flop, "but I'm
not anxious to know him much better yet a while. So
I'll ask you not to mention me."
"All right," agreed Mary Frances, "I think I under-
stand. But Billy wouldn't hurt you."
"Do you really wish me to help you, Miss Mary
Frances?" asked the rooster.
"I certainly do, Feather Flop," said the little girl;
"if you will be so kind."
She could scarcely keep from laughing at how pleased
and proud he looked.
"Then, let us take a look at the garden plot," he
The Mary Frances Garden Book
said, leading the way to the front of Mary Frances'
play house.
''I'll set right to work," said Feather Flop, begin-
ning to scratch, ''right to work, and dig the whole after-
noon, and early to-morrow morning, too."
"Don't work too hard," said the Httle girl. "I
think I ought to help 3'OU."
"Oh, no, little Miss," answered Feather Flop.
"Why, see what's done already."
Mary Frances put her hand over her mouth to
keep from laughing aloud as she looked at the little
round hole the rooster had made.
"You do splendidly," she said, "and to-morrow
morning I'll be here bright and early."
"Just one question," called Feather Flop. . "Is
the garden a secret?"
Mary Frances turned back. "In a way," she
explained. "You see. Father gave Billy a part of our
big garden for his camp and garden "
"I know," said Feather Flop, nodding. "I was
down there one day — and I don't care to go again."
"I wanted to ask Father for a garden plot of m}^
own," went on Mary Frances, "but Billy said, 'Why
Feather Flop, the Garden Boss
don't you have a flower garden in front of your play
house, and a vegetable garden back of it and surprise all
the folks?' You can't imagine, Feather Flop, how
delighted I was with that idea."
''Fine idea!" agreed Feather Flop, scratching again.
** Won't it be splendid when the things grow!"
''And won't it be a perfectly lovely surprise!" cried
Mary Frances.
"I won't tell anybody," volunteered Feather Flop.
"It will be grand to have a real secret with someone."
"Oh, thank you, good old Feather Flop," answered
Mary Frances. "Are you certain you don't want me to
help spade up the garden?"
"Claws were made before spades," said Feather
Flop, scratching away. "I'd like to do this myself,
please. Come bright and early in the morning when
you hear me crow."
CHAPTER II
Feather Flop Oversleeps
VERY early in the morning Mar}^ Frances awoke
and listened a long time for Feather Flop's
signal, but not a sound was to be heard except
the faint crowing of a distant rooster at the far end of
the village.
"I expect he crowed before I was awake," con-
cluded ]\Iary Frances, as she quickly dressed and went
down-stairs on tiptoe.
The sun was just getting up as she ran out into the
garden.
''Hello, Feather Flop," she called softly as she
hurried along, but there was not a sight or sound of
Mr. Rooster.
''Mercy," she thought, "I hope nothing's happened
to him. Where can he be? Oh, see, he's dug — let me
count," (counting them off) "eighteen holes! ^Nly, it
must have tired him out.".
"But where can he be?" she went on, and called
again and again as loudly as she dared:
Feather Flop Oversleeps
'' Feather Flop!"
"Feather Flop!"
"FEATHER FLOP!"
"Oh, maybe he's in my play house!" she suddenly
thought and ran to look. And there he was — where do
you think? Fast asleep in one of the doll's beds with
the covers tucked close up under his bill!
"Well, you're a funny kind of a gardener," laughed
Mary Frances as soon as she recovered from her aston-
ishment. " Here it is long past crowing time."
Feather Flop turned over. Then he began to
mutter sleepily:
"I don't care what people say,
I shan't get up and crow to-day;
Fve never laid in bed — so then!
I shall not crow till half-past ten — to-night!"
"Oh, Feather Flop!" cried Mary Frances, "Oh,
Feather Flop! How you disappoint me! Why, I've
gotten up early because you promised to help in my
garden! Come, get up!" going toward the bed.
"Excuse me!" exclaimed Feather Flop, hopping
out of bed. "Excuse my bad manners, dear Miss,"
'"^ 24
The Mary Frances Garden Book
and away he ran out the door and into the garden
before Mary Frances could catch up.
"My, but you can dress quickly, Feather Flop,"
she called.
*' Oh, nothing hke having your clothes grow on you,"
answered Feather Flop, lifting his wings, ''especially if
they are pretty."
Mary Frances laughed. ''Come, come, no con-
ceited remarks, please," she chided; "and now to work."
"It takes longer than you'd think," said Feather
Flop, beginning to scratch, "especially with an empty
stomach."
"How dreadful of me not to think of your break-
fast. Feather Flop," she said, and ran to get some corn.
"Thanks, thanks," said Feather Flop, hungrily eat-
ing. "If they only didn't keep the food locked up, I
could help myself, and not have to trouble anybody."
"Well, this is not gardening," he went on; "and
besides, I want my dessert. I had splendid luck yes-
terday— four hundred and fifty-one grubs I ate, and
several score of nice long worms. Besides, I let Robin
Redbreast have a hundred or so."
"Oh, my," shuddered Mary Frances.
Feather Flop Oversleeps
25
"What's the matter?" asked Feather Flop, looking
up. "You didn't want any, did you? Fd have been
delighted to have saved some for you."
"Oh, my, no!" cried Mary Frances. ''Oh, no,
thank you! No!"
"You're sure?" inquired Feather Flop. "Well, you
must certainly be glad they are not left here in the
garden to eat up your plants, I know."
"Indeed! I'm much obliged. Feather Flop," said
Mary Frances. "While you dig, I'm going into the
house to get some seeds, and to plan out my garden."
"All right!" said Feather Flop. "Don't mention
me, please, to you know."
^^^
CHAPTER 111
Billy Plans the Garden
ARY FRANCES/' called Billy, as she came
into the house, "I say, let's start work in
your garden to-day. The first thing to do
is to dig and spade it."
*'0h, Billy, it looks as though it had been done,"
answered Mary Frances. ''1 guess I can plant it right
away."
''Ha! Ha!" laughed BiUy. ''Why, it has to be dug
deep; the earth has to be turned under, and compost
mixed with it and all pulverized before little seeds or
plants can take hold with their roots."
"How deep?" asked Mary Frances.
"Oh, about a foot, I guess," said Bilty; "but don't
let's talk too loud if you want to keep this garden a
secret. Let's go out and have a look at it."
"You needn't mind — " began Mary Frances, but
Billy was well on the way.
"That old Rhode Island Red! See what he's
done!" exclaimed Billy, throwing a stone at the rooster.
[26j
^^^^^^^'t^*^^^—^
Billy Plans the Garden
27
''Oh, Billy," begged Mary Frances. ''Poor old
Feather Flop! Don't scare him! Maybe he thought
he was helping!"
"Helping?" laughed Billy. "Helping! If he tries
to help that way when things come up, I'll wring his
neck!"
"Oh, you wouldn't do that, Billy," cried Mary
Frances. "He'll be good, I know."
"Well," said Billy, "you're responsible for his
behavior then — he's your rooster. I'd like to clip
his wings and cut his tail off right up next his ears —
maybe."
"He will be good, BiUy, I feel sure," answered Mary
Frances. "But you are very kind to dig my garden
up."
"Well," answered Billy with a very grown-up air,
"I know what sort of an undertaking this is. How're
you going to lay the garden out?"
"Oh, I don't know yet," answered Mary Frances.
^' Won't you help me plan it?"
"Yes, but it's best to begin with pencil and paper;
that's the first thing Miss Gardener told us in our
'Home Garden Course.'"
♦t*L<
'V' Oli^^t^i^,
28
The Mary Frances Garden Book
''Well, here they are," laughed Mary Frances,
throwing open the play house door.
"Fine," said Billy, seating himself at Mary
Frances' little desk and helping himself to the articles
needed.
"But wait," he continued. "If I show you how
to plan this surprise garden you must carry out my
directions. I don't get caught with any promise to
do all the work."
"Oh, no! No-indeedy! Of course not; I'm just
crazy to start and I promise not to trouble you a
bit."
"Well then," said Billy, "here goes for the —
Garden Lesson No. 1
Planning a Garden
First: How much ground have you to work in?
Let us say 15 x 25 ft. in front of the play house for
the Flower Garden, and 15 x 15 ft. in the rear for the
Vegetable Garden."
He rapidly drew an outline of the two gardens
with a pretty sketch of the play house between.
Billy Plans the Garden
29
"Now," he went on, ''you will wish to leave a
walk down the center with a border of flowers on each
side," sketching them in.
"You see, the beauty of a garden depends so much
on the way it is laid out that garden planning has
become a profession, and the man who studies it is
knowTi as a landscape gardener."
"My," laughed Mary Frances, "how much you
learned at the garden school; you're lots better than a
seed catalogue."
"Much obhged," replied Billy, "that'll do for
bouquets. Now listen: the way to grow early Spring
flowers is to plant bulbs in the Autumn — about the
first of November. Then, early in March, sometimes
even in February, tiny snowdrops will pop up and, a
little later, beautiful crocuses."
"Won't that be grand!" cried Mary Frances.
"Yes, in the next lesson perhaps, I'll give you a list
of bulbs and plants which you can set out at the proper
time.
"The best scheme for the vegetable garden is to work
it out into small rectangular beds between well-kept
walks," said Billy, finishing the —
30
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Lay-out of the Gardens
"How perfect!" exclaimed Mary Frances examin-
ing the sheet of paper which Billy handed her. "1
can just imagine how beautiful my gardens will look.
Isn't it a lovely idea to have that circle in the walk!"
"It would look fine if it had a sun-dial built in the
The Mary Frances Plat House Garden
center," said Billy, much pleased with his sister's
praise.
"Oh, Billy, Billy," laughed Mary Frances, "I
believe, I do believe you are going to surprise me!"
"What are you talking about?" cried Bill}'. "I
must be going — another lesson to-morrow, if 3'ou say
so, because you didn't interrupt more than twice while
I was talking."
"It pays to be good," he teased as he went off.
^1
CHAPTER IV
Feather Flop's Argument
NEITHER of the children had noticed the head
of the big rooster as he peered curiously
through the curtained window of the play
house while they were talking.
As MsiTy Frances came out of the door, Feather
Flop walked around the corner of the house. The
little girl was so absorbed in looking at the plan that
she did not see the rooster.
*' Caw-caw!" Feather Flop cleared his throat.
"Caw-caw!"
''Why, Feather Flop," cried Mary Frances, ''How
you surprised me! I was so busy studying out Billy's
plan for the garden "
"Is he anywhere about?" inquired Feather Flop,
looking around anxiously. "I thought I saw him
go."
"Yes, he's gone, Feather Flop," laughed Mary
Frances. "But let me show you — he has been plan-
ning such a delightful garden for me."
[31]
hd
32
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Lu
"Delightful!'' shrilled Feather Flop. ''Delightful!
I don't think so."
"Why, what makes you say that? How do you
know what he planned?" inquired Mary Frances.
"I heard every word, every word," said the rooster.
''Of course you didn't see me — I was peeping in the
window."
"Oh, Feather Flop ! ' ' cried Mary Frances. ' ' Were
you eaves-dropping?"
"I was listening," acknowledged Feather Flop,
"and I don't approve of the plan at all."
"Why, what's wrong with it?" asked Mary
Frances. "I think it's beautiful."
"It's not sensible!" said Feather Flop. "It's not
useful!"
"But it seems perfect to me. How would you
change it. Feather Flop? "
" Nobody can eat flowers !" exclaimed Feather Flop.
"See here," he looked over Mary Frances' shoulder
as she sat down on the bench, and pointed with his
claw, "that plan fills the entire front yard with bloomin'
plants and gives only the little back yard for such
things as taste good!"
Feather Flop's Argument
33
'' Dearie me ! Dearie me ! " laughed Mary Frances.
" Is that it, Feather Flop? Why, don't you love to see
beautiful flowers?"
''Not half as much as I do to eat beautiful lettuce
and beet tops and other beautiful vegetables," declared
Feather Flop, shaking his head sadly.
"It's too bad. Feather Flop," said Mary Frances,
smoothing his fine feathers, "but I'll see that you get
plenty of such green things as you like."
"Oh, thank you, little Miss," said the rooster.
"If you will do that, I'm ready to help with your silly —
I mean your brother's, plan."
"Thank you. Feather Flop, for all your help,"
said the little girl, "and good-bye for now. I must go
or maybe mother will send Billy to look for me."
"Good-bj^e! good-bye!" cried Feather Flop, jump-
ing off the bench and running away as fast as possible.
CHAPTER V
Gardens for Little Folks
((
H
OW would you like another lesson on
gardening to-day, Mary Frances?" asked
Billy the next morning as he appeared at
the door of the play house.
''Oh, Billy, you know Fd just love to have one!"
said Mary Frances, getting the desk ready.
''This time we are to make a list of what to plant,
if I remember correctly," said Billy, taking a seat.
"Let me see: we will try to plant the garden so
that we will have flowers in bloom from early Spring
till late Fall.
In order to have flowering plants continuously in
the garden, we must use the class of flowers called
Per-en-ni-als, * the roots of which live from year to
year.
If we depend on An-nu-als,t the seeds of which must
* See Chapter LI on Perennials,
t See Chapter XI on Annuals.
Gardens for Little Folks
35
be planted every Spring, we will not have blooms until
Summer or early Fall.
So you see, in order to plan wisely, our next lesson
is very important, and it is our —
GARDEN LESSON No. 2
What to Plant
Now, Mary Frances, I have really planned a delightful
landscape flower garden for you to plant in front of your play
house, and a wonderfully useful vegetable garden for the back
of the play house; but before I give you that outline, I am going
to pretend that you are a very little girl, and I will give you a
list, just as our teacher handed it to us. I have it here:
Garden for Little Folks
1. Plan out the garden; that is, make a list of what you
wish to plant.
2. Draw a picture map of your garden, marking the space
where each different kind of flower or vegetable is to be planted.
3. Remember that low-growing plants should be placed in
the foreground (front part) of the garden, and tall-growing plants
in the background.
4. Order the plants or seeds.
5. Get the ground ready. (See Chapter XIV.)
6. Now begin to plant, following instructions in Chapter XV.
36
The Mary Frances Garden Book
If space for your garden is about 10 x 15 ft. it would be
delightful to plant it as shown by the picture-map drawn here.
Garden for Little Folks — 10x15 Feet
VEGETABLES
WALK
T:":^arch walk
BIRD HOUSE
ON POST
VEGETABLES
(.) Bulbs. 2. Iris (blue). 3. Bleeding Hearts. 4. Pyrethrums. 5. Sweet William.
6. Phlox. 7. Eupatorium. 8. Coreopsis. 9. GaiUardia. 10. Chrysanthemums. IIA, IIB.
lie. Roses. 12. Hardy Asters. 13. Iceland Poppies. 14. Cosmos (not to be given a
permanent place in garden; it may be used, however, as a filler between Hardy Perennials.
15. Alyssum. 16. Nasturtiums.
Plant Daffodils and Tulips between Hardy Perennials as
indicated on plan with dots.
I
Gardens for Little Folks
37
Now, for an —
Explanation
OF
THE LITTLE FOLKS FLOWER GARDEN
Four Hardy Bulbs for Little Folks Garden
These bulbs should be planted in late October or early
November. They bloom in the early Spring and then die
down, to come up the next Spring.
No. on
Map.
No. of Flowers
to Plant.
How Deep
to Plant.
Color.
Average
Price.
(.;
6 Emperor Daffodils.
4 inches.
Yellow.
25c for i doz.
(.)
6 Cottage Garden Tulips, called also
May-flowering Tulips.
4 inches.
All colors.
15c for § doz.
(.)
6 Darwin Tulips. Bloom later than
"Cottage Garden" Tulips; grow
taller.
4 inches.
.\11 colors.
15c for J doz.
(2)
6 German Iris roots, called also "Blue
Flags."
4 inches.
Blue, purple,
and yellow.
50c for J doz.
Hardy Perennials
The plants whose roots live on from season to season, or
"winter over," and come up every Spring, are called Hardy
Perennials.
M/
38 The Mary Frances Garden Book
The plants whose roots die m the Fall, and do not "winter
over," are called Annuals.
When a boy or a girl undertakes to start a flower garden,
how much more desirable it seems to plant, for the most part.
Hardy Perennials, which will "come up" the next Summer and
the next, and so on for years; instead of Annuals, the seeds
of which must be sowed every Spring.
Of course, the seeds of Hardy Perennials may be sowed in
the Spring, but Hardy Perennial plants raised from seeds, seldom
hloom until the next year after the seeds are planted.
fi^°Therefore, it is best for the beginner, in most cases, to
buy plants of Hardy Perennials.
If you wisli to start seeds, however, see Chapter LI on
"Perennials."
Gardens for Little Folks
39
Following is the list of —
Twelve Hardy Perennials for Little Folks Garden
No. on
Map.
Name and Number
of Plants.
Remarks.
Average
Price.
(3)
2 Bleeding Hearts.
Pink heart-shaped flowers on
graceful stems.
Buy the plants in clumps in the
Fall.
15c a plant.
(4)
Hard.v I'y-re-thrums.
Red, pink, white daisy-like flowcr.<i.
When ordering, use the name:
"Pyretbrum Hybridum."
It is best to plant seeds in early
Spring or August, to get plants
which will "winter over" and
bloom the next Summer.
Plant."? may be purchased if you
wish blooms the first year.
2(.)c a plant.
10c a package.
(5)
Bweet-Williams (London
Tufts).
"Biennials," which means the
plants "come up" the second
year, but do not do well after
that.
Plant every other year; preferably
in August.
Order mixed seed.
Sweet-Williams often sow their
own seed.
10c a package.
(6)
3 Hardy Phlox.
1 Salmon Pink: order "Elizabeth
Campbell," or "Rheinlander."
1 White: order "Mrs. Jenkins."
1 Lavender: order "La Vague,"
or "La Mahdi."
20c a plant.
40
The Mary Frances Garden Book
No. on
Map.
Name and Number
of Plants.
Remarks.
Average
Price.
Hardy Phlox — Continued.
Buy the plants of Hardy Phlox.
The seeds are not generallj- sat-
isfactory, because they should
be sowed within a short time
after ripening.
(7)
Blue Thoroughwort
("Eu-pa-to-ri-um").
Order "Eupatorium Celestium."
Blue misty flowers, sometimes
called "Blue Mist," pretty in
mixed bouquet. Bloom late
in season.
Buy the plant.
15c a plant.
(8)
1 Co-re-op-sis.
Order "Coreopsis Lanceolata
Grandiflora." Yellow daisy-
like flowers. A large, bushy
plant.
Keep the flowers well picked, to
get continuous bloom.
Easily raised from seed if planted
early.
15c a plant.
(0)
1 Blanket P^lower (Hardy
"Gail-lard-i-a").
Large reddish-brown flowers with
yellow edges, etc.
It loves to bloom.
If sowed very early, it often
blooms the first season.
Order mixed seed.
10c a package.
(10)
3 ChryB-an-the-mume.
Order "Hardy Pompon" (1 yel-
low, 1 red, 1 bronze).
Bloom very late in the Fall.
Buy the plants.
3 for 45 cts.
Gardens for Little Folks
41
No. on
Map.
Name and Number _,
of Plants. ^'''"^^''^•
Average
Price.
(11)
Roses (See Chapter XXXV).
Dwarf "Baby Ramblers":
(o) 1 Fairy Rose — " Cecile Brun-
ner." Little double flowers of
soft rosy pink on a creamy white
ground.
(6) 1 Baby Tausendchon — "Louise
Walter." Larger flowers of a
tender shade of pink.
CHINK8E Rose: "Hermosa" —
pink.
50c a plant.
(12)
3 Hardy Asters ("Mich-ael-
mas Dai-sies").
Lavender, pink, white and purple
little daisy-like flowers, growing
in clusters on large tall bushes.
Buy the plants.
15c a plant.
(13)
Iceland Poppies.
All colors.
Sow mixed seed in August to grow
plants which will bloom the next
Summer.
Cover with leaves in the Fall.
Order mixed seeds of "Papaver
Nudicaule."
10c a package.
Annuals
Sow the seeds of Annuals early in the Spring. The roots of
Annuals do not live over Winter, and seeds must be sowed every
Spring.
42
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Annuals for Little Folks Garden
No. on
Map.
Name.
Remarks.
Average
Price.
(14)
Cos'-mos.
Easily grown in poor soil. Grow
over 4 feet tall. Flowers: pink,
white, garnet, with yellow centers.
Buy mixed seed. "Summer or
Early Flowering" Cosmos which
will bloom early and continue
until frost.
10c a package,
(15)
Sweet A-lys'-sum.
A charming edging plant. Order
"Little Gem," which grows 4
inches tall, and blooms like a
snow carpet.
5c a package.
Vegetables for Little Folks Garden
Average Price
Name.
Remarks.
per
Package Seed.
Nasturtiums.
In the early Spring, sow seeds of
5c.
Buy "Tom Thumb" or Dwarf.
dwarf nasturtiums for narrow bor-
der along the walk of the vegetable
garden.
Lettuce.
Plant a small quantity of Early Let-
5c.
Buy "Early All-heart;" Early Cos;
tuce seeds in the early Spring;
Late Lettuce.
when plants are two inches high,
plant more seeds; thin plants out,
that the ones left standing may
grow large. Plant a few seeds
every week until weather grows
very warm.
Gardens for Little Folks
43
Name.
Remarks.
Average Price
per
Package Seed.
Lettuce — Continued.
Lettuce does not grow well in very
warm weather.
Plant late variety in early Fall.
Cos or Romaine lettuce is easily grown,
and stands the heat better than the
other varieties. It has a very crisp
fleshy rib in the leaf, but the leaf
part is not so delicate as of the
other varieties.
All lettuce needs very rich soil.
Parsley.
Buy "Dwarf Curly."
Plant in early Spring.
Soak seed overnight in warm water,
mix sand in the water, and fling
Band and seed over the prepared
ground. Sometimes it takes six
weeka for parsley seed to "come
up." Except far north, it lives
over winter if well covered with
leaves.
Plant some parsley every year, as
what has "wintered over" goes to
seed very easily.
5c.
Onions.
Buy yellow "Onion aeta."
"Onion sets" are tiny little onions
which are set out in early Spring,
about 2 inches apart in rows.
Usually when they are partially
grown, they are pulled, and green
tops and bulbs are used for salads
and in soup.
10c a pint.
44
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Name.
Remarks.
Average Price
per
Package Seed.
Thi^mt.
A very pretty low-growing herb,
used to flavor soup, and "stuffing"
for meat. Grows easily from seed
if sowed early. Lives over winter
— except far north — if covered with
leaves. Is, therefore, a "peren-
nial."
Plant in the Spring in the northern
states.
Plant in the Fall in the southern
states.
5c.
Radishes.
Buy Little Red Globe-shaped.
Sow a few radish seeds every week
for four weeks, to have new young
tender radishes ready for pulling
each week.
Radishes do not do well in very hot
weather.
The late or "winter" radish is
planted in the early Fall.
5o.
Tomatoes.
Buy 2 plants of early and 2 of late
varietieB.
Tomato seeds may be sowed in a
box placed in a sunny window or
under glass in the hat bed in
very early Spring, but unless a
large number of plants is needed,
it is better to buy the young plants.
A very interesting variety is "cherry
tomatoes," which grow in little
clusters of red fruit resembling
cherries in appearance. Buy 1
plant.
2 for 5c
Gardens for Little Folks
45
The approximate cost of this garden for little folks is three
dollars.
Seeds of all these vegetables may be started in the house.
See Chapter XIV, page 81, "To Plant Seeds in Boxes." The
young plants may be put out in the garden when they are of
some size, about which you will read later.
CHAPTER VI
Gardens for Big Boys and Girls
H, Billy," cried Mary Frances, as her brother
laid down the paper, 'Hhat doesn't sound a
bit babyish to me! If I could just have a
garden like that "
''That's an all-right garden," interrupted Billj^,
"but, Mary Frances, it isn't much compared with my
plan for your wonderful play house garden, as you'll
soon see when I give you the —
Garden Lists for Big Boys and Girls
The following-named flowers, which are pictured in the
Mary Frances Garden Cut-Outs, are described in the outUnes that
follow the lists.
Do not attempt to plant all the flowers named, but read
the hsts, and study the descriptions carefully. Then select the
plants you prefer for your garden, and make your own list ready
for ordering.
You will notice that certain names are rc^pcated in several
instances. This is only to show the period of bloom, whether
early Spring, Summer, or Autumn, or throughout the season.
46
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Gardens for Big Boys and Girls
Thirty-seven Hardy Perennials
Aster (Wild)
Alkanet (Anchusa)
Baby's Breath
Bellflower
Bergamot
Blanket Flower
Bleeding Heart
Campanula
Candytuft
Centaurea
Chrysanthemum
Columbine
Coreopsis
Ageratum
Cockscomb
Cornflower
Cosmos
Cigar Plant
Everlasting
Four-o'Clock
Daffodil
Hyacinth
Iris
English Daisy
Forget-me-not
Foxglove
Hollyhock
Larkspur
Lupine
Marguerite
Monkshood
Paeony
Pinks <fM°««
Hardy
Iceland
Oriental
Phlox (Hardy)
Pyrethrum
Poker Plant
Rock Cress
Roses
Sneezewort
Speedwell
Sweet Alyssum (yellow)
Sweet- William
Thoroughwort
Violet and Viola
Wall Flower
Windflower
The Mary Frances Garden Book
A Letter About the Garden Cut-Outs
Dear Boy or Girl:
No doubt you will wish, just as Mary Frances did, to be able to
cut flowers every few days from your garden, for your mother to use
as a '^ center piece" on the dining table, or for your father's desk,
or for your grandmother's dresser, or as a gift for a friend.
Now, anyone can have a few plants which will bloom at some
time or other, but the garden you and Mary Frances have in mind
is one which will have flowers in bloom from March, through April,
May, June, July, August, September, October, and into November
until ruined by frost.
Flowers over eight months of the year! Yes, that is possible in
nearly every part of our country — if you study carefully the outlines
following this page.
The first outline gives a list of plants which bloom in the Early
Spring.
The second names the plants which bloom in Early Summer.
The third, the plants which bloom in Mid-Summer.
The fourth, those blooming in Autumn.
These lists are nearly like the ones given Billy by his teacher,
which he and Mary Frances used in planting a garden in front
of the Play House. As you read these lists, turn to the pictures
of the Mary Frances Garden Cut-Outs, and try to recognize the
flower named.
All that Mary Frances wished, she and Billy made "come
true," and every day through the flowering season she gathered ftoivers
Gardens for Big Boys and Girls
from her garden — hut that is part of the story, so now begin to
read
A Few Hints on Growing the Flowers Shown in the
Garden Cut-Outs
In using the following lists, if the garden space is small,
select only the names marked with a star.
The height of each plant is given because it is always desir-
able to plant low-growing flowers in the foreground; and tall
ones in the background.
The following-named Perennials (the roots of which live
from year to year) may be grown from seeds, but cannot he
depended upon to hloom the first year. ^
Instead of beginners starting seeds of Perennials, it is well
to buy the young plants from a reliable dealer to start the jjer-
manent garden, and to experiment with seeds after acquaintance
with those plants already established.
Do not buy many plants of any kind, as a few, well cared
for, mil increase in number the next year.
Annuals (the roots of which die in the Fall) will bloom the
same season as planted. Start seeds early, either in a box in a
sunny window, or in a warm sunny corner out of doors early
in May.
The first step in garden-making is the planning of the garden.
(See Chapter LXII on "The Mary Frances Garden Cut-
Outs.")
50
The Mary Frances Garden Book
The second step is selection of the seed, and the ordering of
the same from one of the best seed firms.
Never try inferior or untested seeds. It is no economy.
In regard to "color scheme," see Chapter LX.
For artistic effect, it is usually best to plant the same kind
of flowers close together to obtain "masses" of bloom.
CHAPTER VII
Early Spring Garden
LIST No. 1
Five Bulbs* for Early Spring Hardy Garden
See Mary Frances Garden Cut-Out No. 1.
Plant the following named bulbs in the Fall. Sec Chapter LVl.
Name.
Remarks.
Snowdrops.
Pure white small bells, blooming late in February or
early in March, whenever the snow leaves the
ground.
Leave bulbs in the ground over Winter, covered with
leaves.
Plant 4 inches deep.
Nar-cis-BUS or Daff-o-dils.*
Daffodil bulbs arc very hardy, and increase in number
from j'ear to year. They should be covered with
leaves over Winter.
The best varieties are "Emperor"* and "Empress."'
Plant 4 inches deep.
Barii Conspicuus, a Star Narcissus, is beautiful for
cutting.
Poet's Narcissus have beautiful white petals, with
golden and red center.
* If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star,
[51]
i^/ "•
52
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Name.
Remarks.
Cottage Garden* (May-flowering)
?• Tulipa.
Beautiful large flowers of all colors, making the Spring
garden bright and gay.
Plant bulbs 4 inches deep.
Plants grow 18 to 24 inches high.
Darwin Tulips.
These beautiful, stately tulips grow two feet high and
more. Large globe-shaped brilliant blooms.
They come in all colors except yellow.
Plant 4 inches deep.
Hy-a-cinths.
Plant only a few hyacinth bulbs, because they do not
"winter over" well; new bulbs should be added
every year, as the old ones deteriorate.
Colors: pink, purple, white.
Seven Hardy Perennial Plants m-hich Bloom in the Early
Spring
As pictured in the Mary Frances Garden Cut-Out No. 1.
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Rock-cress.
f
Ar-a-bis Al-pi-na.
Little white flowers blooming in
early Spring.
6-8 inches.
English Daisies.
Bel-lis Per-en-nis.
Little white and pink flowers,
blooming in April and May.
Pretty among Poet's Narcissus, or
mixed in an edging.
3-6 inches.
* If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
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Early Spring Garden
Common Name.
Bleeding Hearts.*
Moss Pinks.
Violets.
Yellow Alyssum
"Basket of
Gold."
Botanical Name.
Di-el-y-tra.
Phlox Sub-u-la-ta.
Remarks.
Height.
Pink heart-shaped drops on grace-
ful stem.
Raised from plants only.
Buy clumps in the Fall.
White, rose, lilac, little flowers
blooming in April and May.
Blooms make a carpet of flowers.
Buy only a few plants as they soon
spread.
There are native and double Rus-
sian varieties.
Buy plants of sweet-scented double
Russian variety.
24 inches
4-6 inches
4 inche;
A-lys-8um Sax-a-
tile.
Wallflower.
Little yellow clustered beads of
flowers.
Pretty for edging flower beds.
Sow seed in August.
12 inches
Not perfectly hardy in all places.
Fragrant brown and yellow flowers.
Plant seeds in August, in a pro-
tected southern corner, where
they may "winter over" if the
weather is not very severe.
Plant needs sun.
15 inchee
In order to obtain good Spring blooms, plant these flowers in August of the Summer
before, or earlier.
* If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
CHAPTER VIII
Eaely Summer Garden
LIST No. 2
Eleven Hardy Perennial Plants which Bloom in the
Early Summer
As pictured in the Mary Frances Garden Cut-Out No. 2.
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Yellow
Alyasum.*
A-lys-sum Sax-a-
tile.
See List No. 1 for description.
12 inches.
Colurabine.
A-qui-le-gi-a.
Airy, graceful plants, with spurred
flowers, in red, blue, violet, white,
yellow. Buy the seed of " Long
Spurred Hybrids."
18-24 inches.
German Iria
("Blue
Flags").
I-rJs Ger-man-i-ea.
Lavender, purple, yellow, white.
"Corm" roots which "winter
over" and take care of them-
selves, "coming" up every
Spring in increased numbers.
24-30 inches.
Lily of the
VaUey.
Con-val-la-ria.
Sweet-scented tiny white bells.
Buy clumps and roots in Spring or
Fall.
6 inches.
* If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
[54
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Early Summer Garden
55
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Alkanet or
Bugloss.
An-chu-sa
I-tal-i-ca.
Buy "Dropmorei" variety.
Blue flowers.
Buy the plants.
36 inches.
Lupines.
Lu-pi-nus.
Varieties in blue, white, pink.
24-28 inches.
Tufted Pansies.*
Vi-o-la Cor-nu-ti.
Sow seed early.
Resemble pansies, not so large;
but bloom all Suromor.
5-8 inches.
Bleeding Hearts.
Di-el-y-tra. See List No. 1 for description.
Hardy Candy-
tuft.*
I-be-rie.
Buy "Iberfe Sempervirens " :
white.
Pretty for edging.
8-10 inches.
Forget-me-Not.
My-o-eo-tis.
Buy " Myotis Palustris Semper-
florens." Sky-blue little flower.
8-10 inches.
Hardheads or
Knap Weeds.
Perennial Corn-
flower.
Cen-tau-re-a.
"Centaurea Montana" is known
as the Perennial Cornflower.
Bears large violet-blue flowers
from July to September.
2 feet.
Rambler roses also bloom in early Summer,
* If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
CHAPTER IX
Mid-Summer Garden
LIST No. 3
TWENTY-FOURl*HARDy PERENNIAL PLANTS WHICH BlOOM IN
Mid-Summer
As pictured in the Mary Frances Garden Cut-Out No. 3.
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Hardy Lark-
Del-phin-i-um.
Order plants of varieties named.
24 inches.
spur.*
"Belladonna" and "Formosum,"
which are turquoise blue and
dark blue.
Buy the plants, or seeds.
Pteony.
Bloom but once in the season.
Beautiful showy large rose-like
flowers. —
Foliage of plant dies down in Win-
ter, coming up in young new
"shoots" in the Spring.
Colors: red, pink and white.
There is also a "tree" variety.
Most peonies bloom in early Sum-
mer.
3 feet.
Alkanet or
An-chu-sa.
See List No. 2 for description.
Bugloss.
* If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
56
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CHAPTER IX
Mid-Summer Garden
LIST No. 3
Twenty-four? Hardy Perennial Plants which Bloom in
Mid-Summer
As pictured in the Mary Frances Garden Cut-Out No. 3.
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Hardy Lark-
Del-phin-i-um.
Order plants of varieties named,
24 inches.
spur.*
"Belladonna" and "Formosum,"
which are turquoise blue and
dark blue.
Buy the plants, or seeds.
Pseony.
Bloom but once in the season.
Beautiful showy large rose-like
flowers.
Foliage of plant dies down in Win-
ter, coming up in young new
"shoots" in the Spring.
Colors: red, pink and white.
There is also a "tree" variety.
Most paeonies bloom in early Sum-
mer.
3 feet.
Alkanet or
An-chu-ea.
See List No. 2 for description.
Bugloss.
* If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
156
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MARY FRANCES GARDEN CUT-OUT
No. 3
#.*i5^.
MID-SUMMER HARDY GARDEN
For directions for making, see Chapter LXII
U^
Mid-Summer Garden
57
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Bellflower.*
Cam-pa-nu-la.
Perennial Varieties:
(a) Campanula Carpatica (Carpa-
thian Hare-Bell). Bloom from
June to October. Blue.
(b) Campanula Persicafolia (Peach
Bells). One of the best. Large
blue, and white varieties.
(c) Campanula Pyramidalia (The
Chimney Bellflower). Stately
pyramid form plant, with many
blue flowers. There is also a
white variety.
It is best to buy plants of the
above.
Note. — There are also biennial
varieties of Campanula; namely.
Campanula Medium or Canter-
bury Bells, and Campanula Caly-
canthema (Cup and Saucer).
Biennial means of two season's
duration.
8 inches.
2-3 feet.
4-5 feet.
Madonna Lily.*
Li-li-um Can-di-
dum.
Pure white lilies, resembling Easter
Lilies, growing on strong stems.
Plant in the Fall (or possibly in
the early Spring), 6 inches deep,
preferably in the shade of some
other perennial. Lay bulbs on
the side when planting.
2-3 feet.
Oriental Poppy.
Pa-pa-ver
O-ri-en-tal-is.
Very large showy poppies in va-
rious colors.
Buy plants in clumps in August.
36 inches.
* If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
(^
58
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Foxglove.
Dig-i-tal-is.
See tall flowers pictured on cover
of this book.
Various colors.
36 inches.
Sweet William.*
Di-an-thu8
Bar-ba-tu8
Red, white and various colors.
See Garden for Little Folks.
18 inches.
Hardy Garden
Pinks.*
Di-an-thua
Sem-pcr-flo-rens.
Buy plants.
Various colors. Old-fashioned
favorites, with spicy odor.
Excellent for cutting.
Also: "Dianthus Latifolius Atcroc-
cineus." Hybrid Sweet-William,
with brilliant crimson double
flowers, blooming all Summer.
6-12 inches.
Iceland Poppy.*
Pa-pa-ver
Buy "Papaver Nudicaule" mixed
seed.
See description in Garden for Lit-
tle Folks.
9-15 inches.
Marguerite.*
An-the-mis
Tinc-to-ri-a.
Buy "Anthemis Tinctoria."
Color: yellow.
Buy plant.
15 inches.
Coreopsis.*
Co-re-op-sis
Lan-ce-o-la-ta.
See Garden for Little Folks for
description.
Buy plant.
24 inches.
Blanket Flower.
Gail-lard-i-a.
Buy Gaillardia Grandiflora.
Crimson and yellow.
See Garden for Little Folks.
Sow seed early.
24 inches.
only the names marked with a star.
Mid-Summer Garden
591
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Hardy Phlox.*
Phlox Suffruticosa are the Early-
flowering Hardy Phlox.
Phlox Decussata are the later
Hardy Phlox, and are the va-
riety most used.
All colors: Crimson, white, sal-
mon pink, etc.
See List of Hardy Perennials for
Little Folks Garden.
Hardy Pyre-
Py-re-thrum
Red, rose, vfrbite flowers.
18-24 inches.
thrums.*
Hy-brid-um.
See Garden for Little Folks.
Tufted Pansips.*
Vi-o-la Cor-nu-ti.
See List No. 2 for description.
3-6 inches.
Baby's Breath.
Gj-p-so-phi-la
Tiny white misty flowers, beauti-
20-30 inches.
Pa-nie-u-la-ta.
ful to use in bouquets, making a
"cobwebby" filmy spray over
the flowers.
Hardy Candy-
I-be-ris Sem-per-
White low-growing flowers.
8-10 inches.
tuft.
vi-rens.
Holly hoc k.s*
A grandmother's favorite — pictur-
esque in a garden background.
Red, white, yellow, rose, pink.
Cut down the stalks when the seeds
are dry.
Plant seeds; they will bloom the
next season.
5-8 feet.
Speedwell.
Ve-ron-i-ra.
Blue, rose, white.
Plant seeds in August.
12-24 iiK!he8.
p§
* If garden spacp is small, select only the names marked with a star
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Hybrid Tea
Roses.
See Chapter XXXV on Roses.
Japanese
Bellflower.
Balloon
Flower.
Plat-y-co-don.
Blue, and white flowers; deep-
cupped and star shaped. Buds
resemble tiny balloons. Easily
grown. Buy plants.
Yellow Day
Lily.
Hem-e-ro-cal-lis.
Yellow and orange tall lilies.
These are not pictured in the Cut-
outs, but are very similar to the
madonna lily in form. They
will grow in the shade.
18-36 inches.
Summer Violet.
Vi-o-la Cor-nu-ti
Pur-pu-re-a.
Resembles single violets, and very
desirable, for flowers appear when
blooming season of violets is
passed.
4 inches.
Turn to Chapter LX on "Garden Color-Pictures, "to read
about combinations of color for the garden.
The Mary Frances Garden Book
CHAPTER X
Autumn Garden
LIST No. 4
Thirteen Hardy Perennial Plants which Bloom in the |^
Early and Late Fall
As pictured in the Mary Frances Garden Cut-Out No. 4.
* If garden space is small, select only the nimes marked with a star.
.61
n*5
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Hardy Larkspur.
Del-phin-i-um.
See List No. 3 for description.
Monks Hood.
Ac-o-ni-tum.
Curiously shaped blue and white
flowers. "Will grow in shade.
Buy the plants.
3-5 feet.
Hardy Phlox.*
See List of Hardy Perennials for
Little Folks Garden.
Sneezewort.
He-len-i-um.
Yellow, old-gold, changing to terra-
cotta, daisy-like flowers.
Buy "Riverton Gem," "Riverton
Beauty."
Plant seed in August, or buy the
plants.
36 inches.
Hardy Asters* Mich-ael-mas
("Starwort"). Dai-sies.
See Garden for Little Folks for
description.
36 inches.
62
The Mary Frances Garden Book
m
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Hardy Chrysan-
themums.*
All colors except blue and purple.
15-24 inches.
Wind Flower.
A-nem-o-ne
Ja-pon-i-ca.
Rose, pink, white flowers. If
grown from seed, protect with
shade-cover until started.
Pover well in the Fall with straw
or leaves. Will not grow in all
soils.
2-4 feet.
Blanket Flower.
Gail-lard-i-a.
See Garden for Little Folks for
description.
Coreopais.*
See Garden for Little Folks for
description.
Red Hot Poker.
Flame Flower.
Torch Lily.
Tri-to-ma.
Yellow-orange-scarlet showy flow-
ers hanging downward in long
clusters on "spike" heads.
Buy plants. Not shown in the
Cut-Out.
36 inches.
Tufted Pansies.
Vi-o-la Cor-nu-ta.
See List No. 3 for description.
Hybrid Tea
Roses.
See Chapter XXXV on Roses.
Thoroughwort.*
Eu-pa-to-ri-um.
See Garden for Little Folks for
description..
Note. — Most seed houses furnish collections of seeds of Wild Flowers. They may be
had in tall-growing and dwarf varieties for a very reasonable price.
If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
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CHAPTER XI
Some Favorite Annuals
A few Annuals may well be added to these lists. Even though
Annuals must be planted every Spring, there are many worth
the trouble; in fact, a garden would look lonesome without some
of the old favorites.
A very convenient arrangement is to give one bed in the
vegetable garden to the starting of Annuals.
The plants may be moved, when some size, to the hardy
garden, near the place of some of the Perennials which die down;
for instance, hyacinths, tulips, and other bulbs. Indeed, those
having short roots may be placed directly over the bulbs after
their leaves have withered and dried.
A border of low-growing Annuals along the vegetable beds
makes the vegetable garden a place of beauty.
If you live where there is snow in Winter, in order to have
early Summer blooms, the seeds must be started early, under
glass protection, in a sunny window, or in a hotbed. A box
with a glass cover is a good substitute for a hotbed. If the
seeds of Annuals are planted out of doors, they rarely bloom
before Mid-Summer, while many Perennials, which have been
out all Winter, bloom in early Spring. Select from the following
lists the flowers which from the description are most pleasing
to you.
64
The Mary Frances Garden Book
List of Fifteen Annuals
(All may be raised from seeds. They do not "winter over.")
Common Name.
Botanical Nanae.
Remarks.
Height.
Cockscomb.*
Cin-e-ra-ri-a.
Crimson, showy flowers easily
grown. Resemble the comb of
a rooster.
Bloom in the Fall.
24 inches.
Princess
Ce-lo-si-a
Yellow and crimson, feathering
About 2 J feet.
Feather.
Plu-mo-sa.
spikes of bloom.
Feathered
Cockacomb.
Youth-and-Old-
Zin-ni-as.
All brilliant colors.
2 feet.
Age.*
Bloom late in Fall.
Easily raised. Large-flowering
Dwarf are the best seeds to
plant.
Mad Wort.*
Sweet A-lys-sum.
Charming edging plant. Tiny j 4 inches.
white thick flower heads.
Buy "Little Gem."
Wild Cucumber
A rapid Annual Climber.
Vine.
Floss Flower.
A-ger-a-tum.
Blooms from early Summer to late
Fall.
Buy "Blue Perfection;" small
blue flossy flowers which grow
in thick clusters. Excellent for
blue among cut flowers.
12-15 inches.
* If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
Some Favorite Annuals
65
Common Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
Snapdragon*
(."Biennial "
plants).
An-tir-rhi-num.
Resemble sweet peas, but are easily
cared for; need no trellis or sup-
port. Excellent for cutting,
having stout stems. Sow in
February or March in seed-
boxes. Bloom from July to
November. Best variety; large
Flowering Half Dwarf.
Colors: garnet, red, rose, pink,
copper, orange, yellow, white.
Plants sometimes sow their own
seed for next season.
18 inches.
Scarlet Sage.
Sal-vi-a Splon-dens.
Brilliant red bloom from Summer
through Fall. Too harsh a shade
for a border plant. Use only in
a mass ifl the garden.
24 in.
Cornflowers.*
Cen-tau-re-a
Cy-an-us.
Sometimes called: "Bachelor's
Buttons," "Blue Bottle," "Rag-
ged Robin."
Buy "Double Blue" variety.
15 inches.
Nasturtiums.
Orange, yellow, salmon color.
Buy " Dwarf " variety.
Excellent for edging.
There is a tall growing variety
which clings to a support, or
"climbs."
10 inches.
Cosmos.
See Garden for Little Folks for
description.
* If garden space is small, select only tlie names marked with a star.
Note: For description of Sweet Peas, see page 3.^0.
66
The Mary Frances- Garden Book
CoHimon Name.
Botanical Name.
Remarks.
Height.
■
1
\'orb('n.is.
Buy sweet-scented verbenas which 18-24 inches,
come in red, rose, pink, purple, ,
lavender, white.
Four-o'Clocks.
Mi-rab-i-lis Jul-op-a.
Do well everywhere. 2 feet.
Mixed colors. Give each plant
twelve inches of room. Inter-
esting because often visited by
humming birds.
Mourning Bride.
Pincushion Flower.
Sca-bi-o-sa.
1
j
Our grandmothers loved also lady slippers, heliotrope,
mignonette; but the perennial flowers have taken the place of
many old-fashioned Annuals because they require le.ss care.
Among the most interesting Annuals are —
Everlasting Flowers
which may be dried and will keep their color for years. They
make charming winter decorations for the table. There nrt'
several varieties.
Do not try all of the varieties named, but select from tiie
descriptions the one or two which would be most pleasing to
you.
Some Favorite AxNNUALs
Commou Name.
Different Varieties
lOverlasting Flowers
or " Immortelles"
(pronounrcd
im-mor-tol).
A-cro-lin-i-uni. Pretty white and rosy-pink flowers, | 15 inches.
which should be cut and dried while in the bud
state.
Hcl-i-chry-.sum (Strawflower) . One of the best | 30 iiidi
"Everlasting" flowers. Plant 12 inches apart.
Mixed colors.
I Xer-an-the-um. One of the prettiest of "Everlast- I
ings." Purple, white, rose.
Globe Am-a-ranth (Bachelor's Buttons). Resemble I 12 inches.
clover heads in white and purple.
In drying ''Everlasting" Flowers, make a ])aper flower
holder in the folknving manner:
68
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Paper Flower Holder
1. Cut a large square from a heavy piece of paper. Eight
inches is a good size.
2. Fold the paper across four times, as shown by the dotted
lines in figures 1, 2, 3, 4.
3. Cut along dotted line A-B, figure 5.
4. Open to form figure 6. Clip a tiny piece off the point,
and clip along the edges as shown.
5. Spread the paper open. Set it over the mouth of deep
vase or jar, and let the stems of the "Everlastings" hang full
length through the little openings cut in the holder until dried.
This method of dried Everlasting flowers gives long straight stems.
"Some list, that/' said Billy at length, ''and we
haven't yet thought of what we will plant in the
VEGETABLE GARDEN
See Chapter LMII, "Some Hints on Growing Vegetables."
Peas
*Onions
*Parsley (Dwarf Curly)
*Tomatoes
*Lettuce
*Thyme
Peppers
Potatoes
*Radishes
Carrots
Beets
Beans — Stringless
Beans — Bush Limas
Corn
Leeks
Cucumbers
Sweet Basil — a soup herb
If garden space is small, select only the names marked with a star.
w
CHAPTER XII
Window Boxes
'*'«'"«' '^HY, Billy, the very thought of a garden
like this almost frightens me," cried
Mary Frances. "I don't believe I ever,
ever can remember one-quarter of the names!"
' 'Pshaw !" exclaimed Billy, "that's just like a girl!
I wouldn't let a few names scare me! Besides, there
aren't so many names; some are repeated in each list.
That's not a very difficult garden, if managed just as
Miss Gardiner explained."
"Oh, I'm not scared — exactly," said Mary Frances,
"not when I have such a wonderful teacher, ahem!
Professor Billy, when does my next lesson come?"
"Can't promise," said Billy not knowing whether
to be pleased or vexed, "next lesson begins work.
Hello! I see by my note book, I've left out a part of
this lesson. I suppose it is because we've never had
window boxes that I overlooked this list."
"Window gardens are almost like a doll's garden, it
seems to me," said Mary Frances, as Billy started to read:
[09]
70
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Slggestions fou Planting of Window Boxes
1. Have the boxes made with small holes, or outlets, so that
there may be good drainage; for although plants love to drink
water, they do not enjoy having ''soaking wet feet" all the time.
2. In the bottom of the box place some pebbles or broken
stone; this, also, to make the drainage good.
3. Fill box with sifted sand and humus (or manure) very
much as for seed boxes. See C'hapter XIV.
Following is a list of —
Nine Excellent Fkee-Blooming Plants for Window Boxes
(Most are annuals, easily started from seeds)
Petuuiaa.
[ Many beautiful colors. Sow the seeds indoors; the
! plants may be placed out as soon as danger of frost is
passed. If seeds are saved, they should be taken frofii
the weakest plants, as they will give better results
than from stronger plants.
I Bloom until killed by frost. Buy double large flowering.
Zinnias (" Youth-aud-Old-Age ' ). All colors except blue and purple. Buy " Dwarf Double "
! varieties. Bloom late into the Fall.
Phlox Drunimondi (.\nnual
Phlox).
Very many beautiful mixed colors.
Easily grown.
Sweet Alyssum.
Buy the tall variety, of trailing habit: ".Myssum Mari-
timum." Plant near edges of box.
Cuphea (Cigar Plant).
V -.^
Interesting little plant, growing one foot high. Little
scarlet flowers, shape of hollow cigars, with black and
white tip, resembling ashes.
Window Boxes
71
Agfiratum (Floss Flower).
Vrrbenas.
Buy Dwarf Variety. Sec I-ist of Annuals for description.
Sweet -scented Verbena.'*.
Colors: Rose, pink, white, purple, lavender, ete.
X'irica Major Varigata ("Varic- Excellent for trailing over the edges of window boxes.
gated Periwin
klo").
Leaves glossy green with light green edges.
Flowers, blue.
(ieraniunis.
Too well known to need description. Easily grown from
"cutting."."
See Chapter XXXV.
Do not expect geraniums to bloom the year rovuKl. fJivo
them rest in Winterer Summer by pinching off tiic buds.
One of tlic ])rettiest .sluiUow windows boxes is jilanted with
Violas in mixed colors, with ''Tom Thmnb" Alyssmn for edging.
''Oh, Billy, will you build me a window box soon for
my play house?" asked Maiy Frances with enthusiasm.
''Will I? Indeed, Mary Frances, what do you
think! I don't beUeve you'll find another fellow — — "
"Oh, Billy, I didn't think! I didn't! You're so
good to give me these lessons! Fll wait until later
for the window box."
'You'd better," said Billy; "you interrupted my
notes. There is just one more flower mentioned in
these hsts. It is —
72
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Lemon Verbena An old-fashioned favorite, because of the sweet-scented foliage. It is
(not hardy). i better grown in the garden than in window boxes. The flowers are
insignificant, but the iemon-scented leaves are a delight.
''Some 'lemon verbena' I shall have!" exclaimed
Mary Frances. "I remember it well in Grandma's
garden, don't you? "
"I remember it, but I remember another sweet-
scented leaf better :
Bcr-ga-niot. 1 Hardy, easily grown.
Flowers: Brilliant rod; pretty, but not beautiful. Leaves very fragrant.
Humming birds often gather nectar from the flowers.
"Oh, Billy, I remember that, too. Wasn't it
lovely! I know Grandma will give me some roots.
Now, let's begin the next lesson. I am so anxious to
get to the place where I really begin to do some-
thing!"
''Well, you could do something right away," said
Billy. "You could start in this box which I filled with
earth 3'esterday, and hung outside your play house
window-
Window Boxes
73
''Oh, Billy!" breathed Mary Frances, "I didn't
see it ! My, how pleased I am ! "
''Humm!" Billy acknowledged her gratitude and
continued: ''You could start —
An Herb-Garden Window Box
A Soup-and-Sauce Garden
Parsley.
See Liat of Vegetables for Little Folka' Garden.
Sage.
A savory herb. Buy the plant. It grows about 15 inches tall.
Mint.
Used for " mint sauce." Easily grown. Buy the plant.
Chivea.
Somewhat like small delicate green onion topa. Bear a pretty blue flower.
Buy clump of roots.
Thyme.
Edge the box with thyme.
See List of Vegetables for Little Folks' Garden.
"I'll start it immediately," declared Mary Frances,
who was very fond of cooking, "Fll get my purse
and go to the florist's right now to buy the plants."
"Good-bye, then!" called Billy, "Fve done my
part. My next help is in eating the soup — or sauce!"
CHAPTER XIIT
Billy Tests the Soil
((
D
\
O you suppose, Professor — I mean Bilh' —
do you imagine we can keep the garden
a secret?"
The early Spring day was so lovel}' that the
children were sitting in the summer house.
"I guess the folks will suspect something,"
answered Billy, "when they see us digging and spad-
ing, but they won't for a moment think of all we're
l)lanning to do."
''They can't help seeing things grow," Billy went
on, ''but how little they'll expect you to come in some
day with radishes and lettuce from your own garden."
"You're just like Feather Flop!" exclaimed Mary
Frances.
"Well, I like that!"
"I mean," Mary Frances caught her breath, "I
mean you think only of the vegetables, and forget
that I will bring in a beautiful bouquet of flowers
for the table."
4]
Billy Tests the Soil
75
"Oh, to bo sure," nodded Billy, "but you won't
have either unless we begin the next lesson. The
first thing after making out the Hst, so our professor
told us, is to understand about the soil. He said that
after knowing what to plant, we must learn how to
plant. So let us go have a look at the soil near the
play house."
In front of the play house, Billy caught up a handful
of earth.
''Listen, Mary Frances," he said, earnestly, "let
us examine this closely. To test the soil is the most
important point in gardening, as you will readily see
after you have heard —
GARDEN LESSON No. 3
Testing the Soil
There are very few places where the soil is ''just right" for
phiiits.
In order to find out what kind of soil is in your garden, joii
may make a little test by squeezing some tight in your hand.
Almost any soil, if very damp, will "hold together;" that is,
if a handful is squeezed, it will stay in the shape of the hand, so
do not make the test until two or three days after a rain, when it
will he quite dry.
<^T
i
m
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Clayey Soil
If, in a couple ol days after a rain, the soil is sticky, something
like putty, and a squeezed handful holds together, and shows the
marks of your fingers, it is clayey soil.
Now, if the soil in your garden is clayey, it will never, never
do for plant babies. No indeed!
You see, it holds so close together that the little roots cannot
push it apart, and cannot grow. So to clayey soil you must add
something which will lighten it up; like sand, or even coal ashes,
or stable manure which contains a large quantity of straw.
Deep digging and forking help a lot, too, in breaking up the
tight hold which clay grains have upon each other. Sometimes
that in itself will make the clay sufficiently light.
Sandy Soil
Little plant babies are so delicate that a very sandy bed
would not do for them either, for a rain might wash away the soil
from their roots.
All plants are very particular, and grow best if their bed is
"just right."
So, if in a couple of days after a rain, a squeezed handful of
your garden soil wall not hold together at all, and sifts through
your fingers, heavier material must be added.
A little clay worked into the sand and run over with a
roller helps; l)ut there i« something even better — it is stable
manure.
--V
i^
Billy Tests the Soil
77 ■■
Humus
Stable manure* not only helps hold sandy soil together and
lightens clayey soils, but it contains a very great deal of plant
food in the form of humus, and without humus all the other plant
food in the soil is of very little value to the plant.
What Humus Is
I know you are going to ask me what humus is; but first I
want to ask you to think what the soil is. Yes, dirt, that is right;
but dirt came from where?
For the most part from broken and crumbled-up rock, for
this earth was once nearly all of rock.
But dirt or soil is not only rotten and broken and crumbled-
up rock, as you will see in one minute.
Do you remember how the leaves fell off the tree last Autumn,
and how the grass died down? What became of the leaves and grass?
They died, yes, and turned into leaf mold, which is one form
of humus.
You have guessed right, Mary Frances. Humus is decayed
vegetable matter.
* Manure should be well rotted, otherwise plants cannot make use of it,
for they must have food that has been "broken down," so that the plant
roots can take up what they need.
Manure that is rotted has been piled up and left out in the weather with
a board or two for cover to shed water. The pile has been turned over once a
month, and dampened when dry.
/
<^\r
78 The Mary Frances Garden Book
What Humus Does
Hiimn.s mixed with water makes humus soup, which is the
A'cry Ix'st kind of plant food, and the phmt bal)ies love it. They
drink it through their roots, you know.
Not only does humus help with the matter of food, liut it
holds moisture in the soil, and in some almost magic way makes
other plant food into a form which the plant can use.
Of course, you wish to give your plants the best kind of
food, and of course j^ou will want humus.
But suppose you cannot readily get stable manure, or leaf
mold from the woods, why then, you can make humus. Every day
the very things you need to make humus may be going to waste.
To Make a Compost Heap
th«'ni
Save all the vegetable tops, leaves, grass, (^tc. Pile
u}) ami let them decay. When decayed, they are hiunus.
Another way to make a compost heap is to dig grass sod^
about eight inches square, and make them into a pile about twt>
feet liigh, \vith layers of earth and manure between, and let stand
in the weather to decaj^ Turn over when decayed. When
wanted for use, cut some down, knock apart and spread.
You have heard of sowing rye or oats, and ''ploughing the
crop under" to enrich the soil; this makes humus out of the green
rye or oats and their roots. • "
The plant baby and big plants, too, need many different
kinds of food, but the most important is humus.
CHAPTER XIV
How TO Plant
i6
O
H, yes," continued Billy 'I'm going to tell
you how the plants eat, and why they are
so fond of plant-food soup, and why they
like bones (of course, for soup! that is right); but I
think you would prefer that story later on, and
would rather talk now about —
Garden Tools
The best small garden tools arc a "Ladies' Set," for they
are strong and yet small and pleasant to handle.
A fork for digging; a rake and a hoe and a "cultivator" aie
necessary.
To Dig up the Garden
1. Drive the fork down into the ground, >\'ith your left
foot on top of the prongs, and lift the clod of earth high enough
to turn over.
2. After dropping it, "spank" it apart into little Imnps and
dust.
Commence this work .at the back of the garden, and step
[791
80
The Mary Frances Garden Book
.^
backward over the untouched earth, until you have covered the
entire plot. Begin at the left-hand
corner "A" and across to the right.
In this way, you will not step
on the loosened soil, nor pack it
down.
Of course, in large fields, this work
To Prepare the Soil
1. Spread humus or manure, or
both, all over the surface and dig it
in, in the same manner in which you
first dug up the garden, if you wish to
be entirely certain of having success.
But even then, the soil is not fine
enough. No. I see you shake your
head. But, Mary Frances, if you
want a lovely garden, you must get
the garden table ready for the plant
Spading the Garden roots in the most enticing way.
2. Next, take your rake and
"comb" the earth to and fro until it is all light and
feathery.
Of course, in large fields, this work of raking is done with
a harrow.
3. After planting the seeds, pat the soil down firmly so that
How TO Plant
81
it will be firm enough for the little rootlets to "get a hold," yet
will be movable so that they may grow'.
To Plant Skeds in Boxes
Little seeds are not always started, or planted, out of
doors.
Instead, early in the Spring, seeds are often started in boxes
in a sunny window^ or in hotbeds. (See Chapter LVII.)
We'll make a hotbed of our own one of these days, Mary
Frances, but at present w^e'll have to be satisfied with seed boxes.
Preparing the Soil
1. For starting seeds indoors, use shallow boxes, plaecMl in
a sunny window.
Cigar boxes are of a convenient size for children to use.
The soil should be fine and rich in humus.
2. Sift some soil from the compost heap, or some leaf loam
(soil from the woods), or some well rotted stable manure,*
through a large mesh sieve (ash sifter) and mix with the same
amount of fine sand.
3. Fill the boxes with this mixture; water it well Avith a
fine sprinkler.
IQ
* Manure is sold by the pouiKi in powdered form by all leading aeed
houses.
82
The Mary FkaxNCEs (iArden Book
.^
Rowing the iSeed Boxeb
1. Sow the seeds thinly, sprinkle them like pepper from a
shaker on the surface, and over them spread a very, very little
sand.
2. If possible, cover the box with glass to prevent the soil
from drying, but let the air into the box by tilting the glass on one
side, using a cork on the edge.
Watering the Seed Boxes
1. Do not water often, but when necessary to do so, use
the finest sprinkler possible.
2. Water seed boxes in the morning. For if watered at night,
the tiny plants may "damp off," or mildew.
"Oh," exclaimed Mary Frances, "how careful a
gardener has to be! What lovely beds must be made
for little seeds!"
"Exactly so," agreed Billy. "I see you get the
point of the lesson. It is really about how to make
the beds for the seed babies."
"The dear little things," said Mary Frances.
"Billy, I had no idea how easily I would learn to
love the thought of them."
"Well, then you'll enjoy the next lesson," said
How TO Plant
83
Billy, turning over the leaves of his note book. ''Our
professor told us next a good deal about the seed
babies."
''Can't we go right on now with that lesson?"
asked Mar}^ Frances, in delight at the willingness
of Billy to teach her.
"T guess so," rephed Billy, looking at his watch.
''The ball team doesn't meet until two-thirty."
iV
CHAPTER XV
The Outdoor Seed-Bed
<i^ET me see," said Billy. "What lesson is
this?"
''It's the fourth lesson," Mary Fran-
ces counted on her fingers. ''I remember per-
fectly."
''Right you are," replied Billy, rising and bowing;
"and I shall begin this lecture bj^ reciting a little
piece of poetry, called —
C
^
,\
Two Little Acorns
Two little acorns
Sitting on a stem —
One little acorn
Says, "Ahem!"
Other little acorn
Says, "Oh-ho!
I wonder, now,
What makes us grow?"
84
The Outdoor Seed-Bed
85
"I don't know,
But this 1 see;
It must be someone
Wiser than we."
Other Httle acorn
Says, ''Oh-ho!
Indeed, indeed,
That must be so!"
7
K
Billy made a deep bow, and Mary Frances clapped
her hands; then Billy opened his note book, cleared
his throat, and began:
GARDEN LESSON No. 4
The Outdoors Seed-Bed
Having found how to get the outdoors seed-bed ready, we
will next learn how to plant the seed.
Of course, you have made your list of the seeds needed, and
have received them from the dealer.
If possible, it is best to run the planting of the rows or drills
north and south so that the sun ivill shine upon the rows of
plants all day, from the east in the mornings; from the west in
the afternoons.
You will need a garden line to make a straight first row.
~-:z^
SC)
The Mary Frances CUrden Book
To Make a Garden Line
1. Cut two sticks about :is larjiic around as a broom handle,
each eighteen inches long.
2. Point the ends so that they may l)e ea.sily stuck into the
ground.
o. Tie one end of a strong twenty-five foot cord to eacli
stick. Roll the cord on the stick.
To Use the Garden Tine
1. Decide where you wish the first row of plants to grow.
2. Push the stick, not having the roll of cord, down into
the ground at the end of this imaginary row.
3. With the other stick in hand walk back, \mrolling the
cord until you reach the other end of the imaginary row of little
plants. Try to make this row very straight, as all the other
rows wall be measured from it.
By the way, this row should be quite near the edge of the
])od, so that you will not have to step on the loose "feathery" Sf)il.
4. Drive the other stick down into the earth, drawing the
cord tight.
Planting in Drills
1. Pre])are the rake to mark the little rows, or drills, for
the seed. Have ready three good-sized corks. Stick the middle
tooth ot the rake half way through one cork.
2. Do the same to the tw'O end teeth.
The Outdoor Seed-Bed
^zh
rr
:i Run one end tooth of the rake along the stretched garden
line keeping all the teeth parallel with the line. Continue to
use the rake across the entire bed. This is a convenient method
of getting straight rows. Make the drills (hollows) about a half
inch deep.
Broadcasting
Seed are often not sowed in "drills," but arc "broadcast;"
where plants are to be thinned out when they come up, and not
to be transplanted, the drills are bettor.
Broadcasting is throAving the seeds lightly over the surface
of the ground, so that each will fall a little way apart from th(>
other, like sprinkling with pepper from a pepper shaker.
¥
Covering the Seeds
After the seeds are sown, draw the earth lightly over them
either with your hands or \\-\\h the back of the rake. It is best
to sow seeds just before a rain, except when the seeds are very
small; then, just after a rain. If there is no rain, sprinkle lightly,
but thoroughly dampen the earth.
Pat the earth down gently witli tiie ])uhns of your hands
or with a board.
A board is much the better if seed has l)een broadcast.
The reason? Oh, yes, the reason is that the soil will be too
light and airy unless firmed.
The little seed rootlets need close-packed light earth, with
ir-'^
-A-
L,5»^/
The Mary Frances Garden Book
V^
no lumps. Just imagine how tiny they are, and how near to
them must be the tiny grains of sand for them to take hold on.
To Mark the Beds
After the seeds arc planted, drive down at the ends of the
first and last rows little stakes, marked with the names of the
kind of seed planted in the section.
"Perhaps you think you will remember what kinds
of seed you've planted; but one is never certain.
Once I thought I had planted carrots and when the
plants grew, I had beets. It is not safe to try to
remember.
So much, then, for how to put seed babies into
their beds.
By and by, they are going to wake up, and we
must understand how to take care of them. The best
way to learn how to take care of them is to find out
what they are, and what they need."
"F
CHAPTER XVI
Seed Babies and Their Nurses
IRST of all, we must understand that the seed
has a coat which holds the living, sleeping baby.
You see, the baby itself is so tiny and delicate
that it would not be safe for it to be out without its
seed coat. The wind and the sun would soon dry it
up and kill it; then, too, it would die of hunger, for
it is too little to find its own food. So its mother
wraps the baby up in its strong seed coat, and puts
its food in beside it, in the same coat. And there
the seed baby lies sound asleep until — until everything
is just right for it to wake up. The time it likes
best to awaken is in Spring, when the weather is
getting w^arm.
Seed Babies in Their Coats
You will put your seed babies, coats and all, into the warm
ground early in the Spring, when they will feel like growing. Then
you will dampen them, for without moisture and food, the seed
baby will not wake up. The moisture swells the seed coat, and
wakens the baby, and gets the food ready for the baby to eat.
89
The Mary P'rances Garden Book
The baby begins to eat the food its mother put inside the
seetl coat; it stretches itself, and pretty soon sends down into
the earth a ''teeny-weeny" rootlet. This rootlet takes a little
food from the earth up to the baby. Oh, yes, plant soup, that
is the kind of food it takes. Plant soup is mixed earth and
water.
How good it is for the plant child, depends on how sweet
the soil is, and how much humus or compost or manure food is
in the soup. Humus soup tastes wonderfully good to the baby
plant.
Cotyledons
Well, not only does the baby plant send down this tiny
rtxjtlet, but its tiny stem grows upward, and bursts through
the seed coats and show tw'o tiny leaves.
The two tiny leaves which appear on top of this stem, whih^
dovn in the soil grew larger, threw open tlie seed coat, and came
u]) to the surface for the air and sunshine.
Th(;se leaves are called the seed-leaves, or c6t-y-le'-d6ns.
They are not the true leaves of the plant baby, but are nurse-
l(!av(!s which go ahead of the leaves of the baby plant, and really
,hold the true leaf of the baby between them.
These nurse-leaves take care of and feed the tiny ])lant
baby until it can send out its own tiny leaves to gather air :uid
digest food for itself.
If you pull up a Lima Bean Seed Baby after it has started
to grow you will see the nurse-leaves.
^KVA) 11a MIES AM) 'rilEiU NURSES
No plant .should be movrrl or traiis])lMritotl tjniil :\i loasl
twt) Inie leaves, or leaves of its own, not nurse-lenvcs (cotAledons).
have appeared.
Of course, when the little i^lants first eouie uj) there will
l)e so many that each will choke the other, and so we must leani
about — '■
Thinning Oi't thk Plants
Whim th(^ little plants are about two inches high, pull up
all the weak plants, leaving the stronger ones from one to six
inches apart, according to the kind of plants.
The little plants will need moistiue, too — not just "water-
ing," but the moisture which lies far beneath the surface, and
which can only be had by keeping the surface soil in good con-
dition, so as when the plants grow one of the most imi)ortant
tilings we have to learn to do is —
To Cultivate
"Cultivating" means breaking \i]) the soil where it hardens
about the plant. It is the most important part of gardening aftei'
planting, except "thinning out."
Cultivating is done by use of the hoe and "cultivator," the
rake-like tool which has but few prongs. Draw the cultivatt)r
Ijetween the rows of plants every day or two. Use the hoe in
smaller spaces. Use the hoe to chop down weeds below the
surface of the ground, being careful not to cut into the roots of
the garden plants.
The Mary Frances Garden Book
In breaking up the hard soil, or "cultivating," the weeds
are destroyed, but hard soil is a worse enemy of plant babies
than weeds even, although every child knows how dreadful it
is for a garden to let weeds steal all the food from the baby
plants.
fair.
Baby plants need < food,
[moisture.
Now if there is a hard crust of soil around the roots, they
cannot get the «w'; so we cultivate or break up the hard soil to
give them air.
Baby plants cannot get food if big strong weeds steal it
from them; so we cultivate to kill the weeds.
Baby plants need moisture, perhaps more than anything
else, so w^e cultivate; for cultivating keeps in the moisture that
is down in the soil. I will explain this in a very little while.
So 3^ou see Cultivating is the most important garden work.
Watering
Perhaps you think watering the garden most important.
If so, you are mistaken. Yes, the garden must be watered from
time to time; but w^hen it is watered it should be drenched soak-
ing wet, never sprinkled a little every day or two. One soaking
in a week is better than a light sprinkling every day. Light
sprinkling brings the roots to the surface, where the sun dries
them up in a short time. On the other hand, the rain or a thor-
Seed Babies and Their Nurses
93 r
ough drenching soaks down, down, down, into the earth, where
it is stored up for future use.
The Importance of Cultivating
Now, I am going to tell you why cultivating is so important
in regard to moisture.
If the soil is all soft and fine and loose, the rain can easily
run down through it to the roots.
;: If it were hard, the water would run off to lower ground.
That's easily understood.
] ; But immediately after the rain, when the sun comes out
and the wind blows, the surface of the soil begins to dry.
Then the sun "coaxes" and "pulls" the water up, up, up,
to the surface it has dried, something like the way you pull the
juice of an orange up through a stick of lemon candy. Now
let me ask you — could you pull much orange juice through the
stick of candy if the stick of candy were crumbled or broken
apart at the top? No, you could not.
Neither can the sun pull the moisture up through the tiny
little tubes in the soil if we break those little tubes and crumble
the tops into dust. No, you need not look for these tubes, Mary
Frances; they are too tiny for you to see, but they act
very much like blotting paper to bring the under moisture
up to the surface, and unless they are broken and crumbled, the
deep earth moisture goes sailing off into the air to meet the sun,
as fast as if it ran out of a little spigot running it off, and the
poor plant baby dries up for want of deep moisture neat- its roots.
The Mary Frances Garden Book
How shall wo break these tubes (the sun's lemon candy
tiok)?
Yes, that's right, Mary Frances!
By Cultivation.
''Jimiii}^! what a long lesson!" cxclainiod Billy,
wiping his forehead, ''What're you going to do for
me, Mary Frances, for all this wonderful instruction?"
"T]\ give a dinner in your honor, Professor, and
let you invite whom you please."
''On one condition," said Billy, ''that every thing
we have will come out of your garden!"
''Agreed!"
"To-morrow we begin real work and put into
practice some of these remarkable lectures," added
Billy earnestl}'.
"Oh, how glad I am!" exclaimed Mary Frances.
"Billy, it seems too wonderful! My, Fm glad
Mother and Father sent you away to school, though
T did miss you terribh^ but you learned such a lot
that it makes up for it."
"Augh! Mary Frances, you make a fellow feel
ueer, I wasn't such a perfect little angel in school.''
',JmJ
Seed Babies and Their Nuh.ses
'Oh, certainly not, f3ertainly not, Billy," laughod
Mary Frances, ''that's the wonder of it — to think
a bad boy like you could learn so much, that's the
puzzle to me."
"Humm!" said Billy to himself as he looked
after ]\Iary Frances' fleeting figure, "It's lucky for
that girl that Fm a scout."
,^
CHAPTER XVII
Names of Parts of Flowers
THE children worked in the garden early and
late for days, and if the grown-ups in the
big house suspected they were gardening,
they did not hint that they thought of such a
thing.
Billy spaded, and Mary Frances planted, and
Feather Flop looked on from a distance whenever
Billy was anywhere to be seen.
One day, Mary Frances met him as she came to
the compost heap, where she was going to throw some
weeds and grass cuttings.
"Why, Feather Flop," she exclaimed, "I haven't
seen you for ever-so-long! Where have you been?"
'^I've been — I've been — watching," said Feather
Flop, ''and when I've thought I dared, I've weeded
your garden; yes, I have. Haven't you noticed how
few weeds there were?" he asked anxiously.
''I have, Feather Flop, indeed I have; only the
other day I said to Billj-, 'I almost could imagine
Names of Parts of Flowers
someone had been ''cultivating" the garden this
morning.' "
^'That was the morning I got up before dayhght,
and went out there and scratched, and scratched,
where I felt sure I would not disturb anything which j^
ought not to be disturbed/' said Feather Flop,
dehghted.
"My," said Mary Frances, ''how perfectl}^ dear
of you, Feather Flop; I can't begin to tell you the
wonderful fairy-story-feeling I have, to know that
all the time that Billy and I are studying and work-
ing, you are so interested and kind, so anxious to
help me!"
"Oh, yes, dear Miss," sighed the happy rooster;
"but I certainly do wish I could do more and be with
you oftener."
"Never mind. Feather Flop," said the little girl.
"Some day when Billy goes to towai, we'll spend the
whole day together."
"Good!" cried Feather Flop, delighted. "Good!
and now, please let me show you where I found so
many cut-worms."
Mary Frances and he walked over to the garden.
The Mauy Frances Garden Book
" Ri^bl I here/' cxplMinod Feaiher Flop, j2;oiiig to-
ward the tomato plants and ])ointing with his wing:
"riglit dowTi there. About twenty, I guess there
wore, and I had some difficult}' "
''Get out of that garden, will you, Feather Flop!"
loared Billy, coming with a stick. ''Say, Mary
Frances, wh^^ don't j^ou chase that old good-for-
nothing rooster off? If he doesn't look out "
"Oh, Billy," cried Mary Frances. "Oh, Billy,
you ought — he was — he has eaten a lot of cut-w^orms.
I know he has! You don't understand!"
"I don't understand! Well, I guess I don't!
Get out of here, you old busybody of a rooster!"
said Billy.
Ma7•^' P'rances felt so sorrj- about the rooster she
couldn't have helped crying, and out came her hand-
korcliief.
"Oh, Billy," she sobbed, "he's so interested — in
the — garden."
"I should say he is!" said Billy. "I should say
so! But whatever can be the matter with you, gets
me! For pity's sake, dry up those tears. I w^as
going to give you the next lesson."
Names of Parts of Flowers
99
At that Mary Frances dried her eyes.
"Oh, were you, Billy — will you?" She was
delighted.
"Yes," said Bill};, ''if you'll stop weeping. The
next lesson is a real one in Botan}', or the stud}' of
flowers and plants; and since I've found these few
buttercuj^s, which I pressed in my collection of dried
flowers, if you wish, I shall begin —
GARDEN LESSON No. 5
Names of Paiits of Flowers
Not all floAvcrs have c\-cry part. The buttercup (or better,
Ihe single geranium) is an excellent flower to study to show the
A'arious jiarts.
To learn the name of eacli part, onv teacher told us —
The Story of Little Blttercup
Little Buttercup has on a yellow collar.
Her collar is called a co-rol-Ia.
Her corolla collar is made of five scallops; each scallop is
called a pet'-al.
The ^jptaf scallops of Little Buttercup's collar corolla are
held in place about her neck in a little green cup-shaped holder.
This holder is called a ca'-lyx, or cup.
V-
The Mary Frances Garden Book
The calj^Ti cup has five pointed scallops.
Each scallop is called a sep'-al.
Little Buttercup wears not only a beautiful jellow collar
corolla made of shiny yellow petals, held in place by the green
sepals of the caljTc cnp, but she has a lovely necklace of fringe
close about her neck.
Each thread of fringe is a sta'-men.
Each stamen is made of a thread called a fiF-a-ment, and
on the end of each filament dangles a little bead, called an an^-ther.
Proud little Buttercup not only wears all of these beautiful
things, but she uses powder!
On each anther bead Little Buttercup carries some yellow
powder.
This powder is called poT-len.
She must be very proud when she gets all dressed up in the
lovely Spring days in her best finery — a shiny corolla collar,
made of yellow petals, held in a calj'x cup, made of green sepals,
and a stamen fringe necklace, powdered with pollen!
Oh, yes, she wears a lovely dress of green lacey leaves. The
leaf is made strong, just as children are, by a bone, a leaf-bone
or a mid-rib.
All other flowers dress in a similar way, but not every flower
has as many beautiful things to wear as has little Buttercup.
When you see flowers after this, look for the lovely corolla,
calyx, stamens, and other parts of the flower, which you have
learned to know through Little Buttercup.
Names of PaTrts of Flowers
101
There is another part t(^ a buttercup, <;alled the jys-tU, but
I shall tell you about that part of flowers in the next lesson, in
just the way our teacher told us.
''Oh," cried Mary Frances, as Bill}^ finished,
"What a delightful lesson! Never again will butter-
cups seem the same. Although I always loved them,
they will be so much more interesting after this."
(IIAPTER XVIIl
(}()<)i) Mks. Bee
a
G
ETTING tired?" asked Billy as Mary
Frances finished planting the last of her
radish seeds.
"Not so ver}'," answered ]Mary Frances, ''but
I would like to take a little rest," sitting down on
the garden bench. ''Doesn't everything look lovely —
the beds all laid out, and neat as biscuits in a baking
pan!"
''It is some garden, believe me!" agreed Bill}-,
wiping his brow. "I guess FU stop for a few min-
utes, too," throwing himself dowm at the foot of the
tree.
"Oh, Billy, you oughtn't to lie iherc^ on the
;^ ground," chided Mary Frances; "you'll take your
death of cold."
^^J^ "Ha! Ha!" roared Billy, getting up. "Yes,
°^ ^ Grandmother, certainl}^, your darling grandchild
^
^
understands your kind admonition and obej^s," taking
a seat beside Mary Frances, who made room for him.
102
flooi) Mii^. Bek
103
"Oh, Billy, don't tease," she begged. ''Please
don't! I've enjoyed my Garden Lessonts so nuich,
and you've been so kind— — "
''Say, Mary Frances, if you want me to go away,
just keej) on praising me, will you," interrui)ted Billy.
"All right," said Mary Frances, "I'll stop, but
Fve gone over and over in my mind the k>sson about
the seed babies. It all seems so w^onderful to me.
Do you know, Bilh', I've often wondered how the
little seed babies are made. When^ does their mother
get them?"
"Well," began Billy, "I guess I can explain."
"Oh," shrieked Mary Frances suddenly. ''Oh,
Billy, excuse me, please, but that bee nearl}- dashed
in m}' face."
"It's not after 3'ou, Mary Frances," laughed Billy.
"That's good Mrs. Bee looking for hone3\ And
she'll have hard w^ork to find it to-day, I'm thinking. «*;
Still, I saw" a few verj^ earl}^ blossoms out on the
shrubs at the end of the garden."
"I saw them, too, Billy. Isn't it lovely that we ^^
have such beautiful things to enjoy." i^^
"That's what Mrs. Bee thinks, too," said Billy;
k
104
The Mary Frances Garden Book
i^j ^^
?V^
"and in fact, the flowers are made beautiful, not for
us especially, but to attract the bees and moths and
butterflies."
''But I can't imagine why," said Mary Frances;
''the bees only steal honey from them."
"Only steal honey!" exclaimed Billy. "But then,
I used to think so myself, Mary Frances, until about
a year ago, when I learned better. You see, the
bees do everj^ bit as much for the flowers as the
flowers do for the bees."
"Oh, do they? That's wonderful, Billy. Please
tell me about it?"
"If you'll move over far enough on this bench
to let me be comfortable," growled Billy.
"Oh, certainly, certainly; excuse me." Mary
Frances almost fell off the end. "Oh, say, Billy,
let's go over under the trees and Fll swing in the
hammock, and you can take the bench."
"All right," said Bilty, following Mary Frances.
"Now," suggested Mary Frances, settling herself
"^ ^ in the hammock, "I know you feel just like telling
me the whole story."
"All right," agreed Billy, "and I have a surprise
■i^ ^^
^ <^^#"
c
Good Mrs. Bee
105
for you — I just caught that honey bee you saw. Here,
in my cap."
''Oh, let's see it, Billy," Mary Frances put out
her hand.
''Take care!" warned Billy. "I guess you forget
how^ a bee stings. Go get a large-mouth bottle and
ril slip it in."
Billy gently slipped the bee into the large bottle
Mary Frances brought.
"Notice, Mary Frances, how furry its little body
is."
"Wh}^, it's covered with yellow!" exclaimed Mary
Frances. "I thought bees were rather dark in color."
"Yes," said Billy, "yes, this bee is quite dark
in color; the yellow you see is pollen powder."
"Oh, off the anther bead!" exclaimed Mary
Frances. "It's off the anther bead of some flower!"
"Guessed right that time," said BiUy. "That's
what it is, all right. I wish I could tell you the whole
stor}^ of the bee and of fertilization the wa}^ Miss
Gardener told us in class."
"Won't you try to remember, Billy; won't you
try?" begged Mary Frances.
*k
^
(liAPTER .XIX
The Story of Fertilization
ii
W
ELL, as nearly as I can remember/'
began Billy, ''Miss Gardener said she
had been studjang very hard on the forma-
tion of parts of flowers, and the story of fertilization.
It was pretty dry stuff, too, as it was taught when
she w^as young; but the way she told it was so interest-
ing that I took notes which will help me in tc^lling you
about
The Birth of Seed Babies. Formation or the Pistil
The pistil is the tall green center stalk generally found in
the midst of the stamens.
The pistil is very interesting, for it has to do with
tlie way in which the seed baby is born.
fthc stigma (the top),
The pistil has three parts < the style (the stem),
[the ovary (seed holder).
''The pistil is the real mother of the seed
babies.
Ill'; SlOliV oi' I'EHTH.IZATIUN
[o:
"Hero, Mary Francos, I am going (o cut a (lower
off that gcraiiiuni in tlio window, do\\ii tlio center to
sliow you. ^lotlier will not object.'"
When Bilh^ had cut the flower down lengthwise
he ex])lained further
Thk Need of Pollen
Now, tlic pistil needs pollen off the anthers of some other
flower in order to bring seed-babie^s to life. Oh, yes, Mary Frances,
I'm coming tO the part about the bees. The pistil needs polUm,
;is 1 said; sometimes a pistil needs the kind of pollen which is
on the anthers of the same plant, sometimes a pistil needs pollen
from the anthers of some othei- plant, l)ut it must have pollen
to give seed bailies' life.
How Can the Flowers Get Pollen
Now, Howers cannot walk, nor can the pistils or stamens
of tlowiers walk. How can they get the pollen powder to their
pistils'.' Ho>v can the pollen powder get to their pistils?
TiiK Flo\\'eks Spread a Feast for Insects
Li si)me cases the breeze blows some pollen upon the pis-
tils of a few flowers, l)ut it is a very uncertain way, to depend
on a breeze; so the wonderful flowers spread a feast of just the
most tlelightful food for hees, and sometimes for l>utterflies, and
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
sometimes for moths; and not only do they get the most enticing
food ready for such insects, but they put out the most beautiful
signs telling them the feast is ready.
They make the sign just as attractive as they possibly can
for the particular kind of insect they wish to come to them to
eat.
They use the loveliest colors and the most delightful odors,
which please the bees, the butterflies, the moths, more than they
please even you and me, by their wonderful beauty and fra-
grance.
Nectar
The food they give the bee is — no, Mary Frances, it is not
honey, it is nectar, out of which the bees make honey.
Honey Bee's Honey-Churns
Yes, I know you want to learn how they make it. No,
they do not churn it in a churn; they really churn it, though.
That is a good guess. They churn it in their honey-sac stomachs.
The honey bees love pollen, too. It is their flour — pollen flour —
and they carry it to their hives in little basket-like places on
their legs.
The Insects Carry Pollen
Now, the bees in coming to get this feast of good things
to eat — the nectar for honey, and the pollen for bee-flour, both
of which are very necessary for bees — do just exactly what the
The Story of Fertilization
109
flowers want them to do above everything — to carry pollen from
some anthers to the pistil. This they do without knowing what
a great kindness they are bestowing upon the flowers.
They think they are just doing their duty in gathering nectar
to make honey and pollen for bee-flour, but in dipping their
heads down into the deep calyx where the nectar is stored, they
get their furry bodies covered Avith pollen, and when they com(>
out of that flower, or go to visit another, they spread pollen all
over the stigma of the pistil! And when the pollen is spread on
the stigma of the pistil, somehow, in some wonderful way it sinks
down through the style into the ovary where the dear little seed
baby is ])orn.
If you cut open an old l)loom going to seed you will see a
number of seed babies in the ovary from which they will fall
when they are ripe.
Bumble Bees Help
Sometimes flowers are very particular as to just what insect
shall do this work for them. For instance, the clover hides
its nectar too deep for the honey bee's tongue to reach; so the
bumble bee and butterfly do most of the work of pollination for
the clovers.
The little butter-and-eggs flower depends upon bumble
bees, too, to bring pollen to the pistil, for she closes the nectar
holder with so tight a lip that the weight of the honey bee is not
heavy enough to open it.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
Animals Would Starve Without This Work of Insects
By the way, it is a dreadful thing to kill bumble bees. They
do the work of pollenizing for many a deep-cupped flower, and
without their aid and the aid of some such insects, everybody would
starve, for there would be no seed and no new plants to take the
place of the old ones as they died, and animals and birds and
mankind would perish of starvation.
Moths and Butterflies Heli*, Too
This work of pollenizing depends for th(> most part on bees,
but many butterflies and moths feed on nectar in the same way.
]Most moths' tongues are very long, and many long-necked flowers
depend upon them to bring pollen on their soft, furry bodies to
the pistils. The moths fly at night, so many long-necked flowers,
like the moonfiowers, do not open their blooms nor shed their
sweet odors in the day time, but wait to show their sweetness
until their favorite insect is flj'ing.
Now you see that Beauty Butterfly and night moths ar<'
not just a gorgeous bit of living color. Such moths and Beauty-
Butterfly accomplish much good.
''Well, Miss Gardener said she lay out in the
hammock, just as you are lying, Mary Frances, study-
ing just what I have told you, only in a much more
difficult way, and she kept saying over and over to
The Srom ok I'KiriiLizATiON
herself, 'Corolla, cal^^x, sepals, stiimcns, pistil,' in
oi'dei' that she might know her lesson, when all at
once her book began to slip out of her hand and she
eould not seem to cling to it at all. She heard the
dull thud as it hit the ground."
^' Are you ready? " asked a strange buzz}' voice. "I'm
always in a hurrj', 3'ou see. Are 30U quite ready?"
'Tm ready," answered ]\Iiss Gardener; ''read}'
for anything; but please, where are 3'ou, who are
you, and what am I to be ready for?"
And again the buzzy voice spoke: "Ready to go
with me?"
Miss Gardener looked around toward where the
buzzy voice seemed to come from. There, sitting on
a I'ose nearby, was a honey bee.
"Oh," gasped Miss Gardener, "I'm — that is —
I "
"You're afraid!" buzzed the bee, coming near
her. "You're afraid I'll sting j'Ou!" She laughed.
"We never sting unless w^e think w'e need to take care
of ourselves or our lovely children."
"Oh," apologized Miss Gardener, "I — that is,
I — I'm ready, ^Irs. Bee."
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
"All right, then," buzzed the bee, flying nearer.
"Are you certain you're not afraid?"
"I'm not," declared Miss Gardener; but she
said a httle shiver went down her spine.
"Very well," buzzed the bee, coming straight
at her and hitting her between the eyes.
Miss Gardener tried to scream; before she could
do so she had the queerest sensation. Before she
could think whether the bee had stung or not, she
began to sink do^\^l, down, down, down, down, down,
until she was just the size of the bee.
"You've wondered so long," said the bee, "about
what a beehive was like inside, I am going to take
you on a visit to ours. But we must hurry, or I shall
not get my duty to the hive people done. Besides,
you cannot enter without some pollen or nectar; so
here, stop and get a bit."
"How can I?" began Miss Gardener.
"Fly over to that rose I was on," said the bee.
Miss Gardener flew and gathered some pollen, and,
together, Mrs. Honey Bee and she winged their way
over to the hive.
a
N
CHAPTER XX
The Story of the Honey Bee
OW," began her strange little friend,
shall tell you about the honey bees.
There are two thousand different kinds of bees known at the
present time, but the most useful and best understood are the honey
bees. The homes (usually w'ooden boxes) furnished by man for
bees are called hives, but the w^ild bees live ordinarily in hollow
trees or caves. The prettiest and gentlest family of the honey
bees are the Italian Bees.
Perhaps you think you lead a busj'^ life. If you worked
from earliest morning to dark you could not be busier than good
Mrs. Honey Bee, for she never trifles nor wastes a minute.
Perhaps you think she goes leisurely from flower to flower,
sipping the sweet nectar, and has a very delightful time simply
enjoying herself.
You are mistaken, then, for the worker honey bee is not
thinking of herself at all, except to eat just enough to keep her
well.
She is working for the good of the whole Bee family, and
especially for the little Baby Bees.
You begin to see in all your studying, that almost all living
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The Mary Fkances Gakdeim Book
ihinss socm to live with the purpose of helping baby things like
thenisclves to live.
So good Mrs. Bee is not gathering honey and pollen bee-flour
to "gobble" them up, but is going to pack much of them away
for the use of the bees who will live over winter, and for the
baby bees, and for the male bees who have no way of gathering
food from the flowers for themselves.
The Bee City
A Beehive city is a wonderfully l>usy place.
From twenty thousand to forty thousand, or more, inhabi-
tants hve in the Bee City, so no wonder it is a busy place.
You would think that everything would be in confusion, but
on the contrary everything is in marvelous law and order.
Every inhabitant knows just what part it is expected to do,
and each kind of inhabitant is particularly fitted to do its own
])articular part.
(a Queen Bee,
In every Beehive City there arc < Many Worker Bees,
[Quite n number of Drone Bees.
The Queen Bee
The Queen Bee is the mother ])ee, and it is her duty to lay
eggs, out of which Baby Bees are hatched.
The Story of the Honey Bee
115
Worker Bees
Thn Worker Bees do the work of the Boohive City. They
gather food, and feed and care for the inhabitants, and keep the
city clean.
Drone Bees
Th(> Drone or male Bees do not work. Thoir bodies help
keep the hive warm, but they cannot do any real Avork. One
of them is the husband of the Queen Bee, but after she first
marries him she doesn't pay any attention to him. She is too
busy laying eggs in the cradle cells the Worker Bees have made.
Why the Workers Kill the Drones
Yes, it is expensive to feed the Drone Bees, and when the
weather begins to turn cool, perhaps in September or October,
the Worker Bees who up to that time have cared for the Drones,
begin to rid the Hive City of them. They bite off their wings,
and bite them in half sometimes — anything to kill them or send
them away. No, it is not as cruel as it sounds, for you see, if
Drone Bees kept on living they would eat up the honey which
is so much needed in the Winter by the Worker Bees and the
Queen who live OA'cr to care for the new Baby Bees in the Spring.
The Wonderful Bodies of the Bees
Now, each different kind of honey bee has a body which
is particularly fitted to the work it has to perform.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
The Body of the Worker Bee
The Worker Bee, the one you see so often on flowers, has
a body made especially for the kind it is to do. It has many
excellent eyes which look to you like but two eyes, unless you
see them under the magnifying glass, and wonderful an-ten-na?,
and a tongue in its head. The antennae are its horn-like feelers,
and they resemble your arms in the way the}' reach out, and
examine objects by "handling" them.
The Antennae
The antennae are so delicate that the bee can tell the shape and
size of any object by just passing them over it. On the antennse
arc smell-hollows with which the bee "scents out" the honey.
Legs, Wrings, and Claws
On the bee's body, as you know, are the legs and wings. At
the end of each leg is a pair of claws.
Pollen Baskets
On each hind leg of the Worker Bee is a hollow in which
she packs the pollen flour which she gathers. These are the
pollen baskets.
The Wings
The front pair of wings is larger than the hind pair, and
often in older bees who have done much work, the edges are
frayed and torn.
The Story of the Honey Bee
117
The Industry of the Worker
A Worker Bee does not live often over five weeks. She
actually v/orks herself to death!
Just think. A bee has to visit nearly one hundred flowers
to fill her honey-sack with nectar, and when it is full, it does not
contain a full drop!
Wax Pockets
Under the body of the Worker Bee are the little wax pockets.
The wax is very important, as it is used to make the cells in
which the honey is stored, and the cells in which the eggs are
laid.
The Honey-Sac
The honey, you remember, is carried to the hive in the
honey-sac of the Worker Bees.
The Body of the Queen Bee
The Queen Bee, or Mother Bee, is longer than the Worker
Bee and has a tapering, graceful body. She has no pollen basket,
because it is not part of her work to gather pollen or honey,
her work being to lay eggs — sometimes as many as three thou-
sand in twenty-four hours, equal to about twice her own weight!
The Sting
Both the Worker Bees and the Queen Bee have a sting to
use as a weapon of defense.
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The Mary FrAxNCEs (jakdex Book
Whon f-nemies, such ns mice, or moths, or hovs from other
hives get into tho hiv(; to steal honey, the stins is very much
needed by the Worker Bees, as you can easily see.
The Queen uses her sting in a (hfferent way, as I shall tell
you lat(?r on.
The Body of the Drone
The Drone Bee differs much in appearance from the Workcj-
and Queen, his body being broad and blunt. His eyes are ver\'
large and wings strong. He has no wax pockets nor pollen
])(jckets. His tongue is not long enough to get honey from the
flowers. He cannot even find food for himself, and when driven
out of the hive, as sometimes in the Autumn, he starves to death
in a short time.
CHAPTER XXI
How THE Bees Work
A
S I said, the
divided up.
work in the Beehive City is
The Worker Bees arc divided into various groups: who
forage for nectar; who gather pollen; who guard the entrance >
to the hive from enemies; who clean the city; who build the
coml); the nurse-bees, who feed the Ijabies; the undertakers,
\\]\o carry away the dead; and a group whose duty it is to fan
liie air to keep the hive cool.
The Ventilating Workeus — The Fanners
They keep their tiny wings vibrating so rapidly that some-
times the draught they make will put out a lighted candle flame
held at the entrance of the hive at night.
The Comb Builders
When a colony or swarm of bees first enter their new home
or hive, the comb builders set about making the comb. The
comb is formed of food-cells, in which to store honey and pollen ;
and cradle cells, in w-hich the queen may lay her eggs.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
The comb (cells) is made of beeswax — yes, the kind that
your mother uses on her sewing thread sometimes.
After getting in the right, position on the ceiling of the hive
(for bees build downward), the bees take from their wax pockets
some little scales of wax, and begin kneading and chewing them
into the correct degree of softness, and they or their helpers fix
it in position. They make the cells six-sided, and there is no
wasted space.
The Queen's Work
All the time the comb builders have been working, the
queen has wandered about in an excited way. When she sees
that there are cells ready for her, she begins to lay eggs. She
is attended by a number of bees who clean her, and massage her,
and wait upon her, and feed her "royal jelly."
Worker Baby Bees
In three or four days each egg (which looks like a tiny
grain of rice) hatches into a little white grub, and later the nurse
bees begin to feed it — no, not honey, but a kind of milk — honey
bee milk — which the nurses make. The Httle grub feeds on this
for three days, then is given richer bee-milk, and grows very
rapidly, turning into a chrysaUs on the fifth or sixth day. It
spins around itself a silken cocoon, and is sealed into its cell by
another set of worker bees.
How THE Bees Work
121
In about two weeks it turns into a full-fledged worker bee;
but there she is all sealed up in the cell. How can she get out?
It doesn't take long for her to discover she has a sharp pair
of jaws, and she bites her way out. She is very pale and weak,
so the nurse bees begin to clean and feed her.
As soon as she gains strength, she gets right to work on some
task like feeding grub-babies; and perhaps after two weeks of
such work, she flies away to gather nectar.
The Drone Baby Bee
The Drone Bee is hatched in the same way, only it takes
longer for him to become perfect.
The Queen Baby or Princess
But the Queen Bee is different.
When the worker bees decide they need a queen, the comb
builders make three or four queen cells, or "royal cradles," which
are ordinary cells made large by cutting away parts of the next-
door cells and building a hanging cell.
In these larger cells are placed the eggs. When the first egg
is hatched, it is a princess bee.
Why Bees "Swarm"
The old queen, knowing the princess will be the new queen,
"swarms" wdth the bees who wish to follow her to a new hive.
V
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
The now queen, as soon as hatched, goes to the other royal
cells and stings the other little princesses (who might try to be
queen if they hatched) to death, and commences to be mother-
queen of the Bee City.
^.^1 How Bees Spend the Wintek
The bees spend the Avinter in a kind of sleep. They cluster
together to keep warm.
When the early Spring days come, and some of the Ix'es
begin to bring in pollen and nectar, the queen begins to lay eggs.
These eggs will be hatched out into Avoi-ker bees to carrx'
on the work of the hive, and the bees that lived over winter
will live only long enough to care for them until they can catry
on the work of the hive.
At length the Bee sighted her hive. ''We are
home," she said to Miss Gardener, ''and I will explain
to the guard bees that it is all right for you to enter,
as you are one of us."
Miss Gardener thanked her. They flew to the
Bee Cit}^ entrance gate, and her new friend dis-
appeared within.
Miss Gardener just poked her head inside to see
how it seemed, when all the guard bees started toward
her, and the foremost one stung her and stung her
How iHE }3ees Wokk
12:5
until — she woko up sliricking, to find that there was
a hive of bees swarming on the tree just over her head.
"Oh," cried Mary Frances, ''did they sting her?"
''No, not really," said Billy; "it was only a dream,
hut somehow the fact that the bees were swarming
there must have made her dream of the stinging."
"Well, I just believe Miss Gardener never had
to study the lesson about the bees," said Mary Frances.
"I imagine her wonderful dream taught her."
"But she was always sorry, she said, that she
did not get inside the hive in her dream," replied
Billy.
"What wonderful little creatures bees are!" ex-
claimed Mary Frances. "When people sell hone}^,
do they steal it from the bees?"
"Yes, practically that," said Bill}-; "yet it is
not a serious theft, for the bees generally store up
much more honey than is needed, and the bee keeper
always leaves enough for them to use."
"Billy, wouldn't it be lovely to have a hive?"*
said Mary Frances.
* For information as to Bee Keeping write for Farmers' Bulletins on
Hcc C'ulture, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
^f
n
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
"I've thought of it myself," acknowledged Billy.
"One hive would make from four dollars upward in
a year, but I don't think we'd better experiment along
any other line than gardening this year at least."
"Well, I guess you're right, Billy," laughed Mary
Frances, "although you're a pretty good manager,
we don't want too many 'bees in our bonnets' at one
time, do we? Oh, Billy, do you remember the verses
we used to say when we were little — •
"The great round sun is sleepy,
And wants to go to bed;
So he hides his face so shiny
Behind a kerchief red.
"Then all the little clovers
That dot the velvet lawn,
Begin to nod their tiny heads
And put their night-caps on.
"Good-night, you winsome clovers,
All snug in grassy beds;
You'll dream of busy bumble bees
A-buzzing round your heads."
How THE Bees Work
125
" That would please 'most any youngster," remarked
Billy, as Mary Frances finished, "but I think it is
about time for us to let this honey bee fly away.
She is anxious, no doubt, to get to work," as he opened
the bottle.
''Good-bye, good Mrs. Bee!" called Mary Frances
as it flew away.
V
1:1
&^
T;/^^-*
'S?^
CHAPTER XXII
The Children's Money-making Plans
THE children were in the garden, i)ulling weeds
and ' ' cultivating. ' '
The little plants had come up quite a
way through the soil.
With her hoe IMary Frances was drawing little
mounds of earth quite high around the stems of
the plants.
''Now, Mary Frances," exclaimed Billy, ''you're
doing just wrong! That is one of the garden 'don'ts.'
Don't pile the earth high over the stems."
''AVhy, if you please, Mr. Billy?" asked Mary
Frances.
''Because — " started Billy; then: "Oh, you must
know, Marj' Frances."
"I suppose because the little rootlets need rain,
and little hills would make the water run off," guessed
Mary Frances, "and I'll do it right after this; but,
really, Billy, I'm afraid I'll never learn all my lessons
as well as you know yours. It is a marvel to
126
'I'm: Childhkx's Money-making Plans 127
iHc liuw nmch yovi know. How you niiisl Ikivc
studied!"
''Humm!" said Billy, hoeing away. ''I did study;
l)ut, somehow, I like gardening so much, it didn't
seem hard work."
"You must have worked hard, though, or you
wouldn't have won that garden prize of five dollars
at school. Billy, 3^ou must feel rich! What are you
going to buy with it?"
"I don't think I'll buy anything with what I
have left; it seems fine to me to just keep it in my
bank account."
"Oh, dear," sighed Mary Frances, "I wish I could
make some money — not just save some of what is
given to me."
"Why don't you?" asked Billy.
"Why don't I what?" Marj^ Frances looked up
from her work.
"Make some monej^" said Billy.
"How could I?" asked Mary Frances in bewilder-
ment.
"Why, sell some of the vegetables j^ou raise in
the garden."
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
"^ Q
''Oh, Billy! Billy!" cried Mary Frances. ''Do
you suppose for a minute I could?"
"Course you could," answered Billy, "if I helped
you, especially. I would like some spending money
myself. Suppose we go into partnership?"
"Oh, let's!" cried Mary Frances. "How much
better than trying to do such a thing alone! And
I wouldn't want you to help me unless we divided
the profits."
"And I wouldn't want to help you on any other
basis," agreed Billy.
"But," exclaimed Mary Frances suddenly, "what
about your own garden? You'll not need any partner-
ship with me. You yourself will raise all you can
sell."
"Have you noticed what I have growing there,
Mary Frances?"
"Billy," said the little girl shamefacedly, "I
haven't. I haven't noticed at all. How selfish
I am!"
"Well," laughed Billy, ''I don't mind at all, so
3^ou needn't feel bad, but I'll tell you. Chiefly rhu-
barb and asparagus; and they are both plants which
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The Children's Money-making Plans 129
need two years, or three, before they may be dis-
turbed, so you see why I'm so generous with my offer."
'^I understand now, Billy," smiled Mary Frances.
'^My, won't you be rich when the rhubarb and
asparagus are ready to sell!"
''I do expect to make some money," said Billy.
"Father said he would pay me something for what
is used by the family. It cost quite a sum to buy
the little plants I set out— all I spent of the prize
money was for them."
''Well, I certainly am glad you will help me,
Billy," said Mary Frances, falling to work.
"All right; then it is settled," Billy said. "It
won't be long before that lettuce and those radishes
will be some size."
"But the parsley bed has shown only the tiniest
little green leaves here and there! I wonder if it's
never going to come up!" exclaimed Mary Frances.
"It often takes six weeks for parsley to germi-
nate," explained Billy.
"Germinate?" inquired Mary Frances.
"Yes," answered Billy, "for the seeds to grow —
start up, you know — wake up from their sleep."
0 <^
Ho
V
y
\V^'
'h
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
''Oh," said Mary Frances, ''I understand." Then
suddenly, "Oh, Billy, I can scarcely wait until we
can begin to sell things! I believe, I really believe
I can cut some flowers to sell!"
''Certainly you can if they are beautiful enough!"
said Billy. "Well, I must make a start or else I'll
never get over to the camp, and the fellows are down
on me now for being away so much. So long — get
all that hoeing done."
"Good-bj'-e, Billy; it will all be done when you
reach home," called Mary Frances.
CHAPTER XXIII
Mr. Hop Toad Hops In
SHE worked away very hard for half an hour.
"My," she thought, ''this is such warm
work I guess I'll take a little rest," and she
sat down under the tree nearby.
She was just going to sleep when she thought she
heard someone speak. Yes, it was Feather Flop,
and he seemed to be arguing with someone.
''He wouldn't talk to a stranger," thought Mary
Frances, "I wonder who it is. I don't dare peep,
for fear they'll stop talking if they see me."
Pretty soon the voices came nearer.
"I tell you," Feather Flop was saying in a boast-
ful tone, "I tell you I am of the greatest benefit to
the garden."
"If so, why so?" The question was asked in a
funny, croaking voice.
"If so, why so?"' mimicked Feather Flop. "Be-
cause it is so. So there!"
"Yes, certainly, if saying so makes it so," replied
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
V^.
the voice. "But it is not so in my opinion. For
instance — pardon me till I catch that fly — ^how many
snails do you imagine I have eaten today?"
^'Oh, I don't know," said Feather Flop; ''but I
do know this. I know I am the biggest benefit to
the garden."
'I beg pardon, sir," answered the other; ''I think I
can easily prove I am the biggest benefit to the garden."
''Cluck! Caw!" exclaimed Feather Flop. "You
mean you are the biggest toad in the puddle, Hoppy,
you poor old toad!"
"Ho! Ho!" thought Mary Frances. "So it's a hop
toad! I just believe it's that big fellow that lives
under the stepping stone. I think I'd know him.
I believe I'll peep!"
She looked cautiously around the tree. "It is!
It is that same fellow I really believe! My, I wish
I could ask him some questions!"
"Indeed, I do not mean anything of the kind,
Mr. Feather Flop," retorted the hop toad, and Mary
Frances could see his throat swell with indignation.
"I mean that I am actually and truly one of the
most helpful living things to have in a garden."
Mr. Hop Toad Hops In
i;^,;i
"Now, now, don't get angry," begged Feather
Flop, ^'I want to hear about that! I want to find
out, Hopp3", how you are more beneficial to the gar-
den than I am."
'^Well," answered the hop toad, blinking his eyes
with a satisfied smile, ''it's this way: suppose I begin
with the baby toads "
"A crow told me they taste very good," inter-
rupted Feather Flop.
''For shame!" w^hispered Mary Frances. "Isn't
that awful of Feather Flop!"
The rooster must have heard her, for he suddenly
bowed his head, saying, "Oh, I beg your pardon,
Hoppy — really I do! Please excuse me!"
"I suppose you don't know any better manners,"
answered the hop toad, "so I'll have to excuse you,
and I'll tell you — if you don't interrupt —
The Story of the Hop Toad
My mother told me that one lovely day early in May she
awoke from her winter's nap. Oh, yes, that's what we do in
winter — sleep in the ground.
Well, my mother awoke, and went happily hopping down
134
The Mary Frances Garden Book
to the meadow pond to lay some eggs. Perhaps you don't
know them when you see them — toads' eggs. They look like
tiny black pills in strings of transparent jelly. This jelly either
drops to the bottom of the pond or fastens to water weeds.
A^
^.
Tadpoles
The eggs grow larger and larger and pretty soon become
baby toads, or tadpoles.
Well, I w^as one of the tadpoles that spring, and my brothers
and sisters and I soon ate some of the jelly, and then some of
the delicious slime in the pond.
Yes, we lived in the w'ater and breathed somewiiat the w^ay
fishes do.
When we were about ten days old, our mouths grew much
stronger and our jaw^s grew horny so that w^e could bite off pieces
of plants.
How lovely it was! I can remember now how cool and
pleasant it felt to swim about in the pond. We had long flat
tails which we used for swimming.
Now, Feather Flop, if you interrupt again I shall not finish
my story! No, we didn't eat our tails; of course not. Our tails
w-ere absorbed into our bodies to help with their growth.
When we w^ere about an inch long we had but stump tails,
and found we had to come to the surface of the water for more
air every day, w^e decided w^e were no longer tadpoles, but real
hop toads. We swam to the shore of the pond and hopped away.
Mr. Hop Toad Hops In
135
Toads' Enemies
Many of my little brothers and sisters, alas! were eaten by
snakes, and — yes, Feather Flop — gobbled up by crows.
No, Feather Flop, dogs wouldn't bite us, because — do you
see the warts on my back? They are very useful to me. When
I want to disgust an enemy, I can send out of those warts a dis-
agreeable, biting secretion, and I am dropped pretty quickly.
No, of course, we cannot make warts on people's hands.
No toad ever did anything of the kind! It's a horrible untruth.
Certainly we seem cold to people's touch. That's because our
blood is of the same temperature as the air. Their blood is
warmer.
Well, as I said, almost any enemy drops one of us grown-
up toads quickly but snakes! They don't seem to mind us at
all. Ugh! when I see one I either hop away with all my might,
or I bury myself in the earth. No, Feather Flop, I can't teach
you how! I do it wnth my hind legs. See how I can kick!
There are two more ways in which we escape our enemies.
In the first place, if you notice carefully, you will observe
that I am almost the color of the leaves on which I am sitting.
If I should hop out there on the path, my coat W'ould change in
a short time to nearly the color of the path. Oh, I do not care
to try it now. The sun is shining there, and I certainly do not
like sunlight and heat! The fact of our color being nearly the
shade of our surroundings prevents enemies from seeing us.
Yes, you are right, Ave shed our skins several times a year, and we
136
The Mary Frances Garden Book
3\.
swallow them. We generally do this when no one is looking.
The other way we escape notice is the fact that we feed mostly
at night, while our enemies are asleep.
How Toads Help the Garden
Speaking of food, Feather Flop — have you eaten any of
those delicious tent caterpillars? No? Well, you should try
some. Don't you like them? They stick to your throat? Oh,
I didn't know that, but I've noticed that you didn't seem to
eat them, nor "thousand-leggers." That's the reason I said
I was of more benefit than you to the garden.
Just listen until I tell you what I had this early morning for
supper. No, not breakfast! I told you I feed at night. Early
morning brings my supper time! Well, these are what I had:
*6 cutworms
5 thousand leg worms
6 sow bugs
9 ants
1 weevil
1 ground beetle
We eat also snails, injurious beetles, grasshoppers, worms,
potato bugs, and lots more of harmful creatures. Well, ants
and spiders may be useful, but ants are a question, and we eat
* This list is taken from U. S. Farmers' Bulletin No. 196, Usefulness of
the American Toad.
Mr. Hop Toad Hops In
137
few spiders. Spiders are lots of fun to catch, though. See,
there is one! See how my tongue shot out at him? My tongue
is fastened to the lower jaw at the front of my mouth. You
didn't see it? Well, I suppose we toads do use our tongues prett}'
quickly. They have a sticky substance spread over them, so
we're pretty certain to make our "catch."
''Now, Feather Flop, I think I've told you almost
everything. Is there anything else you'd like to
know?"
Mary Frances had been listening with all her
ears.
''My, there are things I'd like to know," she
thought. "How I wish he'd talk to me!"
"No," said Feather Flop in a crestfallen voice,
"I don't think of any. I certainly must acknowledge
that you are usefuller than I thought!"
"Thanks! All right!" rephed the toad, taking
a hop.
"Hold on, please, HoppjM" Mary Frances ven-
tured to call.
The toad turned.
"Please, Mr. Hop Toad," she begged, "please
will you tell me something? I've overheard your
138
The Mary Frances Garden Book
wonderful story. If it is not too inquisitive, may
I ask why your throat puffs all the time?"
''Certainly, certainly," croaked the toad, "my
voice is hoarse, Miss, but I'll do my best to answer.
You see, we toads have no ribs to use when we
breathe, so we have to swallow every bit of air we
use."
''Oh," said Mary Frances, "that is it. I am so
much obliged to you for telling me. Here is a fish-
\x worm — or do you call them angle-worms, or earth-
worms?— ^for you!"
"A fish-worm!" exclaimed the toad. "That is
fine. Throw^ it down, please. No, that is the wrong
end toward me. Fish-worms wear rough rings along
their bodies which hurt the throat if swallowed the
wrong way foremost. They're pretty large to get
do^\Ti, so I may have to rub it down my throat with
my hands."
This the funny little toad did, and after getting
it down, patted its little stomach. "My, it was
so good. I shut my eyes while I swallowed!" he
said.
Mary Frances laughed outright. "I'm glad I
Mr. Hop Toad Hops In
139
gave you a treat/' she said. "I wish I knew some-
thing else I could do to make you happy."
"Then just take a stick and scratch my back,
please."
Mar}'- Frances did as requested.
Feather Floj) looked on all the while without a
word. At length he blurted out, ''You told me,
little Miss, I think, that fish-worms were good for
the garden — that they stir the soil and make it light
and porous. I've never eaten one since you told me
that!"
He looked scornfully at the toad.
Mary Frances smiled. "Oh, Feather Flop, indeed
I thank you, but you see, we don't need so many
of them. You could take one once in a while."
"I must be going," said the toad, "and I thank
you. Miss. You're much more polite and kind
than some people I've known!" glancing at the
rooster.
"He means the boy that stoned him," said Feather
Flop.
"Excuse me, I did not refer to him," said the
toad; "but really, boys are terribly hard on us!
^L
(VCf
<^^r^<
140
The Mary Frances Garden Book
v\^
V.
And think of all we do to help them. We eat the
dreadfully destructive insects."
''I wonder if my brother Billy ever — " began
Mary Frances.
''No, not any more," said the toad. 'Tve lived
here in this garden five years and it's over a year
since he's troubled any of us."
''He never will again," promised Mary Frances.
*'I shall certainly tell him your story."
"Good-bye, and thank you very much!" sud-
denly exclaimed the toad, hopping away very
rapidly.
"Oh," called Mary, Frances, "I want to ask you
something else. Won't you talk to us again?"
This time the toad did not turn around nor answer
a word, but hopped more rapidly than ever.
"I can catch him!" exclaimed Feather Flop, "and
ril peck him as hard as ever I can, too, for treating
you that way!'^
"Don't you dare, Feather Flop," called Mary
Frances, running after him. "I'm ashamed of you!"
catching him up.
"Oh, dear," sighed Feather Flop, "and I wanted
Mr. Hop Toad Hops In
141
to help you so much! I am always doing something
wrong!"
''Listen, Feather Flop," explained Mary Frances,
''that probably frightened him so he'll never speak
again."
"I'll be to blame for that, too," mourned Feather
Flop. "Oh, I'm sorry, so sorry."
"Never mind, my friend," said Mary Frances;
"I appreciate the kindness you meant to show even
if you made a mistake."
"Are you sure you forgive me, httle Miss?" asked
the rooster.
"Quite sure," answered Mary Frances. "But I
can't promise about the hop toad!"
"I don't care a hop about Hoppy," said the
rooster, "just so you forgive me."
"I guess a rooster, even if as clever as Feather
Flop, can't understand such things," mused Mary
Frances to herself.
"Please be polite to him for my sake, then," she
said.
"I will! indeed I will!" promised Feather Flop.
CHAPTER XXIV
Mr. Cutworm, the Villain
''"W'F he mentioned cutworms," said Billy, as
I Mary Frances finished telling him the story
-^ of the hop toad, ''If he mentioned cutworms
among the insects he eats, I certainly am glad to
make his acquaintance. Will you introduce me to
him?"
"Certainly I will, Billy; come right down into
the garden."
The children looked all over the place for the hop
toad, but were unable to find a trace of him.
"I remember," said Mary Frances, ''that he told
me he slept in the day time."
"Oh, of course," repHed Billy, "that's the reason
we don't see him. I might have thought of that!"
"Hello, he's been lazing on the job though," he
exclaimed. "Look at those three young tomato
plants, all cut off near the roots. Neat work, that.
Mr. Cutworm the Villain's, I'll bet!"
"Oh, dear! Billy, won't they grow up again?"
[142 1
i^
^
.A*v^^
Mr. Cutworm, the Villain
143
''Not much!" exclaimed Billy. "No, indeed;
we'll have to put in new ones in their place. ''We've
had so little trouble with cutworms that I forgot to
take precaution."
"What's that?" asked Mary Frances. ~'
"Precaution — why, means to keep him from the^
plants. We could have used —
Paper Collars to Protect Plants from Cutworms
Cut strong paper into rectangles about 2J^ x 5 inches.
Wrap a paper loosely around the stem of growing tomato plants
and other tender stems before packing the earth around them.
Let the paper extend about an inch above the ground, but make
it narrower if it covers the roots.
"Oh, how funny," laughed Mary Frances, "for
plants to wear paper collars."
"They would cheat Mr. Cutworm out of sev-
eral good meals," said Billy. "It's provoking to
find plants cut off that way. You see, the worms do
their villainous work at night!"
"Oh, do they hve under ground all the time?"
"No, we learned in school that they are the larvae,
or young, of a certain night-flying moth. They hve
1
144
The Mary Frances Garden Book
in the ground until they change into cocoons (or
worms-in-cases), which they weave about themselves.
Finally the cocoon comes out of the case as a moth.
Here is a picture of the \illain."
''Ugh!" shuddered Mary Frances.
"Hello, here is the real thing," exclaimed Billy
*as he kicked aside some earth.
"Oh, isn't he ugljM" exclaimed Mary Frances.
"We'd never preserve him for his beauty," agreed
Billy. "Some farmers make poison bait for cut-
worms b}^ mixing a little poison and molasses with
bran or clover, and throw it on the ground at night
when birds and chickens have gone to bed. They
are careful to take it up oslyIj in the morning so that
no other creature will get it by mistake."
CHAPTER XXV
Birds as Plants' Friends
a
N
OW, Feather Flop said — " began Mary
Frances; "I mean, if Feather Flop had
been in the garden there wouldn't have
been so many cutworms."
''Mary Frances!" exclaimed Billy. "How ridicu-
lous! You don't seem to understand that that old
rooster would have eaten up all the young plants
himself!"
Mary Frances bit her lip to keep from laughing
as she saw Feather Flop peeping around the tree in
back of Billy.
''If that rooster were a robin or a wren it would
be different," went on Billy. "Just listen, Mary
Frances!" pulling a paper out of his pocket.
" 'One robin has been known to feed his family
five yards of worms a day.
" 'A chicka-dee will dispose of 5500 eggs of the
canker-worm moth in one day.
" 'A flicker eats no less than 9000 ants a day.
145
f/.i
a1
I-IC) 1'he Mary Fhances (Uuden Book
" 'A pair of wrens have been seen to carry 100
insects to their J'oung in an hour. They are espe-
ciallj' fond of plant hce and cutworms.
" 'Little humming birds lick plant lice off foliage
with lightning rapidity..
" 'The 3'ellow-billed cuckoo eats hundreds of tent
caterpillars in a day.
'^ ^Seed-eating birds destroy myriads of seeds of
destructive weeds — actually eating hundreds of tons
of seed.
'' 'The Department of Agriculture of the United
States estimates that the tree sparrow alone saves the.
American farmer $90,000,000 in a year by eating
seeds of weeds.' "
''That isn't the English sparrow," laughingly in-
terrupted Mary Frances.
"No," replied Billy, "not so much can be said in
its favor."
"How do people know what the different birds
eat?" asked Mary Frances. "Did someone watch to
see what each different bird took for a meal?"
"No." Billy referred to his cHpping. "Scientists
have examined the contents of the stomachs of the
Birds as Plants' Friends
147
birds, and have learned what food each kind of bird
uses. There was a time when people imagined that
robins stole so many cherries and berries that it was
a good deed to kill them. Now they have found that
they destroy so many injurious insects that they do
not begrudge them a few cherries. Besides, if mul-
berry trees are planted nearb}^, they will prefer their
fruit to the cherries."
''Oh, Billy," cried Mary Frances, ''isn't it won-
derful! Not only do birds help us by destroy-
ing harmful insects and seeds, but thej^ help us
by their beauty. I believe the}^ are the most
beautiful of living things! They could have helped
us just as much, and have been as ugly as — cut-
worms."
"Yes," laughed Billy, "I beheve that is so, but
it takes a girl to think such things out. The most
remarkable fact to me, however, is that without
bii-ds we would die of starvation. It has been estimated
that if the\' were absent for one season alone, the United
States would lose o^Tr $300,000,000, and if they dis-
appeared entii'ely, agriculture and farming would be
impossible within a few years."
48
The Mary Frances Garden Book
;.^^
''Bees and birds," commented Mary Frances softly,
''keep us from starving. How wonderful it all seems.
Why, Billy, it must have all been planned out when
God made the world!"
"I have thought of that myself, Mary Fran-
ces," said Billy; "it's one of those thoughts a
fellow doesn't often speak out loud. I don't know
why."
"Everybody ought to take care of birds," went
on Mary Frances. "Surely the reason they don't,
is because they do not understand how wonder-
fully they help us. Do you recall Miss Carey's
poem — 'An Order for a Picture'? I learned a part
of it in my literature course last winter:
'Afraid to go home, sir; for one of us bore
A nest full of speckled and thin-shelled eggs,
The other, a bird, held fast by the legs,
Not so big as a straw of wheat:
The berries we gave her she wouldn't eat,
But cried and cried, till we held her bill.
So slim and shining, to keep her still.
Birds as Plants' Friends
149
'' 'At last we stood at our mother's knee.
You, sir, know
That you on the canvas are to repeat
Things that are fairest, things most sweet.
Woods and corn fields and mulberry-tree,
But, oh, that look of reproachful woe!
High as the heavens your name I'll shout.
If you paint me the picture, and leave that out.' "
"I know just what that means," said Billy, ''for
one day — only I've never told it, for I knew how
it would grieve mother — I killed a little wren. I
was quite a little chap and had no real intention
of doing such aching. I aimed a stone at the little
thing, and down it came — dead."
"Well, Bill}^, there's this comfort," said Mary
Frances; ''it didn't suffer. That's very different
from injuring it and letting it live on in agony."
"Yes," said Billy, "you see I didn't understand;
boys don't, I guess."
"Birds and bees," Mary Frances repeated, "keep
150 The Mary Fkances Gardkn Book
lis from starving. I suppose you know nf many other
l)enoficiai animals or insects.'*
"Oh, Billy, let's have lots of birds in our garden!"
slu^ went on.
"Why, how?'' asked Billy. ''Perhaps we could
put food out for them."
"Yes, but I wasn't thinking of that. I thought
maybe we could j)ut houses where they would
build."
"Of course," replied Billy; ''and we could keep a
small bath tub full of water for them."
"What fun!" exclaimed Mary Frances. ''Billy,
do you know how to build the right kind of houses
for each different kind of bird?"
"No, I do not," answered Billy; "I know of only
a few. The}' are the ones our manual training
teacher showed us. I have some pictures right here
in my book. It's queer I didn't think of them!"
"Let me see," cried Mary Frances. "Oh, Billy,
will you make some later on?"
"Fm to make them in school next term," explained
Billy. "Mr. Carpenter, our teacher, told me about
these houses one day when we were out walking. We
Birds as Plants' Friends
151
happened to talk of what Professor Weed had told us
in a lecture on birds, you see."
"Do let me read about these houses," begged Mary
Frances, looking over his shoulder at the picture of —
A Robins' Sleeping Porch
Robin Redbreast will not live in an enclosed
house, but desires mereh'- a shelter where the
family can have plenty of fresh air,
"I believe in living out-of-doors," says Mrs.
Robin Redbreast, "and I shall not send the
children to school in a schoolhouse, no matter
liow sanitary. Thej^ shall be educated in the
open air. There is a lot more to be learned
outdoors than indoors."
Robins' Sleeping
Porch
A Bungalow for Wrens
Jenny Wren and her husband like a little
perch to rest upon before entering their home.
In order to keep the English sparrow from
being inquisitive and troublesome, make the
entrance only 1 inch in diameter where Mr. and
Mrs. Sparrow cannot enter.
"They are not a bit nice neighbors," fusses
gentle Jenny Wren. "They pick a quarrel over nothing, then
peck our family to pieces if they can."
Wrens' Bun-
galow
152
The Mary Frances Garden Book
The Martens' Hotel
Do not charge Mr. and Mrs. Marten for
lodgings. Instead be thankful that they bring
their friends and relations with them, for
Martens come in companies and love to linger
where invited. They destroy myriads of in-
sects.
The Blue Birds' Cottage
These heavenly blue birds, ' (J
with pinkish plumage on their
breasts, add great beauty to our home gardens, §^^
and fortunate is the owner of the bird house which
they select "rent free." They are desperately
afraid of English sparrows, or more of them ^^^^[!^^
would tenant the houses round about the home
garden. Blue birds eat up whole families of garden pests at
a meal.
Martens' Hotel
''My, aren't those bird houses dear!" said the little
girl. ''I hope we'll have one of each kind some day.
Then we'll feel that our garden is well protected from
injurious insects. Are there any other creatures which
destroy them beside toads and birds?"
"C
CHAPTER XXVI
Little Ladybird
(AN'T sa}' with certainty," replied Billy, "un-
til I look in my note book."
''Well, it's just inside the play house,
isn't it?" asked Mary Frances.
" I'm getting rather tired, Marj^ Frances, "said Billy.
''Oh, go get it. Bill}'," Marj^ Frances begged,
"please do, bring it out to the garden bench — that's
a good fellow."
"Well, if it were any other subject than garden-
ing, you couldn't persuade me, young lady; but I
guess I'll go."
"There are lots of beneficial insects named," he
said, coming out of the play house, "but the one
you know best is a different kind of a bird from the
feathered "
"I know! I know!" eagerly interrupted Mary
Frances, repeating the old rhyme —
" 'Ladybird, Ladybird, fly away home!
Your house is on fire, and your children will burn.' "
[153]
P'A:
1.54
The Mary Frances Garden Book
^'Good!" exclaimed Billy. ''Ladybird or ladybug;
but why they are given so charming a name, I can't
imagine."
"I can imagine, Billy. Have a'ou ever noticed,
besides being so very pretty, how neat they are; how
ladylike they look when they fold their wing covers
and tuck in their inside wings; and did you ever see
them wash themselves? They do it so carefully!
I don't wonder at their being named Ladybirds."
"Humph, Mary Frances, you certainlj^ have an
enviable imagination. I should say they were more
fittingly named Possumbugs. Have you ever noticed
how they 'plsij possum' when you try to pick
them up?"
''Indeed I have," Mary Frances laughed at the
remembrance. "Maybe they do that to save their
lives just as opossums do; but they are so very
pretty that I'd call them Ladybirds for that reason
alone."
"Not all are pretty alike," commented Billy.
"Why, don't they all wear shiny red dresses with
black polka dots?" asked Mary Frances.
"No," smiled Billy, "some wear shiny black
"V
Ll'J^LE Ladybiul)
rlressps with red or yellow polka, dots; sometime.^
the dress is yellow with black spots."
"Oh, isn't that interesting!" cried Mary Frances.
''I never tried the rhyme on any but the red ones
with black dots."
''I never Hried' the rhyme. How do they act?"
asked Billy.
''Well," laughed Mary Frances, ''usually, if you
blow your breath upon them, they fly away; if you
just watch them, they generally turn around and
run as fast as they can in the opposite direction from
which they were going."
"Probably looking for food," said Billy.
"Probably running to save their children's lives."
Mary Frances was quite indignant.
"Perhaps my notes will tell," said Billy, opening
his note book again and beginning to read:
Ladybirds or Ladybugs
The Ladybird is a little beetle about a third of an inch long.
There are many species of ladybirds; they all are of the same
general shape, somewhat like a split pea, but much smaller.
They are usually of brilliant shiny colors with spots of contrasting
(!olors: sometimes red with black spots; sometimes ))lack wjth
The Mary Frances Garden Book
red or yellow spots, sometimes yellow Avith black spots. The
young or larvse^of the ladybird are not in the least like their
mothers. '^Fhey are little black, rough, worm-like creatures with six
legs, having reddish-yellow or rusty spots on their backs. Both the
young and the parents are very helpful to the garden because they
eat harmful insects — scale insects and aphids or green plant lice.
One species of ladybird which the California fruit growers
brought from Australia has been the means of exterminating a
scale insect very injurious to the orange and lemon trees of the
Western coast. The larva of the ladybird turns into a hard en-
cased pupa, and later into a full-grown ladyl)ird insect.
My," exclaimed Mary Frances, '^ another garden
friend! Why, Bill}^, one is never alone in the gar-
den. There are always lots of friends about."
"And enemies too," said Billy. "Some time Til
tell you about one of the silliest of enemies, which Pro-
fessor Weed called an 'animated honey drop' or aphis."
"Tell me now, Billy? Oh, do tell me now!"
"Not much! Not much! Some other time, Mary
Frances. Do you think I'm an animated encyclo-
pedia— always ready to deal out information, or do
you think — ? Oh, so long!"
Before Mary Frances could answer, Billy had
disappeared.
CHAPTER XXVII
Curly Dock
(4
UST in the nick of time," said Billy as Mary
Frances came racing with Eleanor around the
front of the house. ''Why, hello! who's here?
Excuse me, Eleanor, I didn't know you were to
arrive until this afternoon," shaking hands with
Mary Frances' "best girl friend."
''She wasn't expected until afternoon," explained
Mary Frances, "but some friends of her father's
were coming this way in their car, so she's here quite
early. Oh, I'm so glad!" as she kissed Eleanor
again.
"I wish we'd never moved away, Mary Frances,"
said Eleanor, returning her embrace.
"You said I was just in the nick of time, Billy,"
Mary Frances suddenly exclaimed. "Why, so is
Eleanor. We can share the secret with her!"
"Another of Mary Frances' secrets!" cried Elea-
nor. " Please teU me about it ! "
"Oh, Mary Frances makes so much out of
157
158
The Mary Frances Garden Book
nothing," said Billy. ''It's simply this: we're plant-
ing a garden, and don't want the folks to know
it."
''That isn't all, Eleanor," said Mary Frances,
"Billy is teaching me how to garden. He took a
course in gardening last year, and he explains to me
everything his professors taught him."
"Jiminy!" exclaimed Bilty. "Everything! Well,
not much! I'm trying to tell her just a little bit
of what they tried to teach us fellows. B}^ the w&y,
doesn't Bob garden?"
Eleanor began to giggle. The children looked at
her in surprise. Finally she answered: "Such gar-
dening! Believe me — no garden can raise a crop of
weeds equal to his. I must tell you what I was
laughing at. Early in the Spring Bob planted in a
box some seed one of the boys had given him, and
Father allowed him to put it in the sunniest window.
He watered and tended it, and finally set the little
plants out. The fellows told him that he'd be sur-
•prised at the wonderful plants he'd get; that he could
have them served as 'greens' for our dinner."
"What were they?" interrupted Mary Frances.
CuuLY Dock
159
inter-
"Hush!" exclaimed Billy, who was much
ested. "Eleanor will come to that soon."
"Well, the plants certainl}^ did grow! The}' grew
large, broad leaves, quite curly, but no one seemed
to know what they were. One day Bob asked the
farmer who sold us potatoes to look at his garden,
and I'll never, never forget how that man laughed.
He roared; he shook; he doubled up with laughter.
He struck his knee with his hand, and tried to speak,
but no words would come. Bob looked on at first with
amazement, and then with anger, finally with disgust,
" 'If you wouldn't mind telling the joke,' he said,
'we might share in the fun.'
"In a few moments the farmer spoke: 'Well, sir,'
he said, 'that's the finest crop of curly dock weed
I ever seen!' and he began to laugh again."
"My, I bet Bob was 'sore'!" laughed Billy.
"Yes, he was, but that wasn't the best of the
joke," Eleanor went on.
" 'I'll serve a mess of it to those fellows!' he cried.
'And Dick W^illoughby's got to eat the most — even
if I'm compelled to have the doctor there to keep
him from being poisoned.'
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
" 'That would be a treat/ the farmer said.
'Curly dock makes one of the best ''greens" in the
Spring. Just boil the leaves until tender, and serve
like spinach. Only, young feller, next time you want
a mess, just come over and weed out my meadow.
Don't you take up your time and your pa's land
a-cultivating what grows wild and can be had with-
out the asking.' "
CHAPTER XXVIII
The Stupid Honey Drops — ^Aphids
BILLY and Mary Frances enjoyed Eleanor's
story very much, and laughed heartily over
Bob's discomfort.
"Well, Eleanor," said Mary Frances, "you'll be
able to teach Bob a lot about gardening if Billy will
let you share the lessons he's been giving me. By
the way, Billy, what did you mean by 'just in the
nick of time'?"
"Nothing much," repHed Billy, "only I wanted
to show you some of the 'animated drops of honey'
about which I spoke."
"Oh, where are thej^?" cried Mary Frances.
"What in the world do you mean, Billy?" Eleanor
exclaimed.
" Followmeif you want to know," commanded Billy,
leading the way to one of his mother's rose bushes.
He lifted a long new branch.
"How funny the tip looks!" exclaimed the girls.
"All bristling, like a burr."
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
"Look more closely," said Billy.
"Oh, Billy," laughed Mary Frances. "Billy, it's
not a green burr at all! It looks that way because
of thousands of those little tiny green plant Uce!"
"Yes," acknowledged Billy, "nothing but aphids.
ril now try to repeat a little of our lesson on —
Aphids or Plant Lice
There are several species of aphids, but those most com-
monly seen are little green ones.
Nearly all delight in feeding upon the sap of young tender*
shoots. They thrust their tiny sharp beaks into the stem, and,
with their hind legs or claws in the air, suck the juices into their
soft little bodies. The sap is turned into honey-dew in their
stomachs, and ants use them for their cows! But they give
them honey, and not milk. Perhaps ants like honey-milk better
tlian we like cow's milk. Aphids seem very insignificant. They
are helpless little creatures, and are very easily killed. Indeed,
they are so stupid they don't seem to know when they are being
killed. Even though thej^ are stupid, they do a great amount
of harm in the garden, stealing the vital fluids of the plants.
They multiply so rapidly that their many enemies do not
do away with all of them, so almost all gardeners use a "spray"
to kill them.
* Tliere are a few aphids whicli food upon roots.
The Stupid Honey Drops- -Aphids
163
One of the most interesting of their enemies is the —
Aphis-lion
This little worm-like creature is hatched from the egg of
the mother lace-wing, an airy green fly with light lacey wings.
She places eggs on a leaf nearby a group of aphids. The little
creature that is hatched is very hungry and immediately begins
to look for food.
It seizes the first aphis it can find in its strong pincers, and
lifting it high in the air, drinks the honey juice in its body with
great enjoyment.
"Greater than Mary Frances shoMs when drink-
ing chocolate soda?" queried Eleanor.
''That's a question," laughed Billy. ''I've never
seen many aphis-lions eat, but I have seen Mary
Frances drink chocolate sodas 'galore.' "
"But, Billy," reminded Mary Frances, after thej^
had finished laughing, "you haven't told us what
other enemies the aphids have, nor what you mean
by using a spray."
"Oh, if you stop to think, you'll realize that spiders
and several different kinds of birds will eat them.
They are such stupid little creatures that it's not
difficult to find or catch them."
\e-
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
"But what about spraying — is that difficult?"
asked Eleanor. "You see, I want to surprise Bob
with my superior knowledge."
"Oh, Billy, do give us just as man}^ lessons as
you can possibly squeeze into the time Eleanor visits
us, won't you?" cried Mary Frances. "Do tell us
about spraying or Sbuy other thing we ought to learn
about gardening."
"Why, Mar}^ Frances, you talk as though I kne\\'
a lot on the subject!" said Billy, "when, as a matter
of fact, I don't begin to know anything. It seems
to me that the more I stud}-, the more there is to
learn.
"I'm willing," he went on, "to tell j'ou girls what
I can remember of what Professor Weed told about
insect pests and insecticides — but I do wish you
were both boys!"
"We don't, though. Do we, Eleanor?" said Mary
Frances. "I shouldn't think you'd mind. You're
always with boys during the school term, and — I
don't believe thej^'d listen anything like as well as
Eleanor and I will."
CHAPTER XXIX
Some Sprays for Garden Pests
44
REALLY, there is some truth in that," said
Billy. "I'm not certain that I can remember
much about the subject; but, since you are^
so anxious to learn, my children, I'U refer to my trusty
note book, and read to you about-
Garden Pests
If we examine the various insects which injure plants, we
find they do the harm in two different ways, according to their
method of feeding. The different methods of feeding are by —
(a) biting; or,
(b) sucking.
Biting insects have mandibles, or jaws.
The biting insects most familiar to you are beetles, grass
hoppers, and many "worms," or larv£e.
If you catch a grasshopper, and hold a blade of grass in an
upright position close to its mouth, you will obsen^e that the jaws
do not move up and down, but sidewise. This is true of all insects.
It is quite easy to see the holes in leaves, bark, flowers or
fruit where biting insects have been feasting;
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
Sucking insects, instead of jaws, have a haustelhan or pro-
boscis, which is a sucking tube, or beak, somewhat like a sharj)
hollow bristle.
This they use to thrust down through outer layers of bark
or leaves into the inner tissues where they draAV up the saj) or
lifeblood of the plant.
Among the sucking insects are aphids and scale insects.
Now% it is an easy matter to throw poison on the parts of
the plants that biting insects devour, where they will eat and
swallow it, and then die; but it is almost impossible to place
poison in the inner portions of the plants where sucking insects
feed.
Fortunately', most sucking insects have soft bodies which
are easily destroyed; but it is a rather difficult task to do this
work of destruction of sucking insects, because every insect must
l)e touched bj' the destroying material to smother it, or destroy
its breathing pores. Every farmer is familiar with some insecti-
cides, oj insect poisons.
-The trouble with using poisons, however, is that most poisons
w^hich Avill kill insects will also kill people, so it is better for young
gardeners to use remedies harmless to human beings, but deadly
to insects, of which there are a few.*
* Thf, small luiiount of arsenioal poisons used by nuirket gardeners and
laiiihTs is not dangerous unless the plant is used immediately after their
application. The danger lies in having su(-h poisons within reach of
i'hiklren.
Rome Sprays for Garden Pests
167
Insecticides or insect poisons are applied to plants in twu
ways: by—
(a) dusting with powder; or,
(b) spraying with a liquid.
A "sulpliirr gun " is a great help in applying powder; although
an old can with holes in the top may be used as a sprinkler.
Liquid sprays may be applied with a patent "sprayer,"
Avhich may be purchased from anj' seed house; or with a whisk
broom.
It is absolutely essential to reach the under sides of the
leaves in applying insect destroyers.
Among the best insecticides which arc non-poisonous I4
human beings is Hellebore.
Following is a list of remedies for insects oftenest found in
gardens.
Hellebore
For sprajing: use two tablespoons Hellebore, to a gallon
(four quarts) of watef.
For dusting: mix two tablespoons Hellebore with fifteen
Remedies tablespoons flour. Keep in a closely covered can. After
for i a day or two this flovu- may be sprinkll>d on the upper
Biting I and under sides of the leaves. This is best done ^\•hile
Insects the dew is upon them. The use of the flniu- is simply
for the sake of economy.
Wood ashes and also insect po\Ad(ir discourage cabbage
worms.
t
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Various
Remedies
for
Sucking
Insects
For dusting: insect powder, snuff, sulphur, tobacco dust.
Tobacco stems (laid on the ground) will discourage them.
For spraying: Dissolve 1 lb. caustic Whale Oil Soap in
Yi gallon (2 quarts) hot water. Mix one cup of this mix-
ture with five cujjs of water for plant lice, etc.
Hot Water for Aphids or Plant Lice. Hold the brandi
under water at a temperature of about 125°, or as hot as
possible to hold the hand under.
Fungi of various kinds attack plants. Mildew is a form of
fungi.
For
Fungi —
Mildew
For
Insects
that Feed
Under
Ground
For Cutworms,
and Insects
Feeding on
the Surface
of the Ground
Dust the plant well with Flowers of Sulphur.
Bordeaux Anscnate of Lead is used as a spray in early
Spring, to prevent fungi, but it is deadlj- poison and should
not be used by cliildren.
Severe poisons are generally used, the fumes of which
kill the insects. Tobacco tea, made by boiling a i)ound of
tobacco stems in a gallon of water, or Ivory soapsuds, if
thrown on the ground, will discourage these insects.
Poison Baits are used: that is, bran or grass is sprinkled
with sweetened, poison. (Note: It is better for children to
use the precaution of paper collars as already explained
to Mary Frances in the talk on the Cutworm.)
There arc also many excellent remedies sold by seed firms
under commercial or "patent" names.
"Well, Billy," cried Eleanor, ''if I remember one-
tenth of the lesson, I'll be satisfied!"
Some Sprays for Garden Pests
169
''And I, too!" echoed Mary Frances.
''If I'd thought," continued Eleanor, "you were
such a wiseacre, Mr. Professor Billy, I'd have brought
a note book."
"Oh, you girls can see my notes any time," said
Billy, pleased with their compliments.
"What I didn't like, Billy, was the constant ref-
erence to 'children,' " Mary Frances went on.
"Now, little girls," began Billy, "that is just for^
'Safet}^ First.' When you are a little older and more
experienced in gardening "
"Oh, Billy, if you tease, you'll spoil everything!"
declared Mary Frances. "Do keep your old poison
secrets. I don't like the idea of killing bugs even."
"Nor the fellow 'who needlessly puts his foot upon
a worm,' " quoted Billy. "I bet Bob would rather
like that lesson, even if you and Eleanor didn't."
"I'm going to write down what I can remember
for Bob," declared Eleanor. "May I use your desk,
Mary Frances?"
"Nothing could please me better," answered her
friend, leading the way through the play house door.
CHAPTER XXX
"Y
Early Vegetables
'OU will tell mo, won't you, Mar}' Frances,
how you started the garden, and how in the
world you induced your brother to give you
lessons?"
Eleanor looked up from the notes she had made.
"If it hadn't been for Feather Flop," began Mary
Frances.
''Feather Flop!" exclaimed Eleanor. ''Do 3'ou
mean your pet rooster?"
"Yes," declared Mary Frances, "he really had a
great deal to do with it, although Bill}^ ridicules the
idea."
"I can't quite understand it myself," Eleanor said.
"I thought chickens were very injurious to a garden."
"Not Feather Flop! He has been so interested
from the very first that I myself have been amazed.
Eleanor, you should hear about the cutworms and
other insects he has eaten, and the weeds he has taken
out of the garden."
Early Vegetables
■T
Mary Frances grew excited in being able to praise
the rooster to someone.
^'He made little piles of weeds at the end of each
vegetable patch, and I had to pretend to Billy that I
did the weeding, for he'd never, never have believed
that Feather Flop did the w^ork."
"Isn't it w^onderful!" exclaimed Eleanor. ''Do
tell me more about him!"
''Hush!" exclaimed Mary Frances, "here comes
Billy."
"Hello, girls, want to see something fine?" Billy
looked in the play house window^
"Of course!" cried the girls at once.
"Come on out then — follow me."
Billy led them to the vegetable garden.
"What is it?" asked Mary Frances.
"Just brush a little of the earth aw^ay from that
radish," replied Billy, pointing to one of the largest
plants.
"Oh, look!" cried Mary Frances, as she pulled the
little red ball root, and held it up for admiration.
"Oh, Eleanor, it is ready to eat! The very first
thing from my garden. Let's give it to Eleanor, Billy ! "
kfv *•
ins
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
"Indeed, no!" declared Eleanor. "I think, Mary
Frances, you should have the very first of the crop!"
"I know what!" exclaimed Mary Frances. 'Til
cut it up into three pieces!"
"Augh, count me out!" exclaimed Billy. ''I don't
want any! Besides, I guess there are several others
nearly that size."
''But no other first ones!" declared Mary Frances.
"M}^, if the garden weren't to be a surprise, Fd want
to divide this Avith Mother and Father, too."
"So would I!" exclaimed Eleanor.
"Well, if girls aren't silly!" Billy looked almost
disgusted. "If you want the radish, eat it up. The
garden can't be a secret much longer anyhow, for in a
day or two you can pull a couple of bunches of radishes
and several small heads of lettuce."
"Oh, it seems too good to be true!" exclaimed
Mary Frances, dancing around in joy at the thought.
"But," said Eleanor, "surely your parents know
you are gardening. Anybody with eyes could see
that."
"Yes," exclaimed Mary Frances, "they know we
are doing some work near the play house, but I asked
-^^_,
czs^.
Early Vegetables
them not to try to find out anything about what we
were doing, and they haven't come near! The}' want
to be surprised! I know they do!"
''But how did you get the money to buy the seeds
and plants?" asked Eleanor.
''Mother gave me permission to use some money
from my bank, and Billy loaned me some from the
money he won as a prize in school. I have to pay
that back."
"When we sell some of the vegetables," said Billy.
"You don't wonder that I'm excited, do you,
Eleanor?" cried Mary Frances.
"Indeed I don't," said Eleanor. "I wish Bob and
I had just such a garden."
"You can have," said Billy; "I hope Bob will be
able to make me a visit as soon as he has finished being
'coached' in his Latin!"
"That won't be for some time," replied Eleanor.
"Meanwhile, I'll try to learn all I can about gar-
dening, and we'll be ready to start in earnest next
Spring."
"Oh, won't that be lovely!" cried Mary Frances.
"I'm so glad you're here to see our experiment. How
174
The Mary Frances Garden Book
soon did you say, Billy, we could take the radishes and
lettuce to Mother?"
''About day after to-morrow," answered Billy,
examining the vegetables closely again. ''And a
picking of peas in about ten days."
"Oh, goody! I love the vegetable garden almost
as well as the flower garden," cried Mary Frances,
"although the flowers are so interesting and are grow-
ing beautifully. Come, let us go look to see if any are
ready to bloom," leading the way to the front garden.
"Excuse me," said Billy; "Fm going fishing."
"Good luck!" cried both the girls. "Wish you'd
take us!"
But Billj' pretended he didn't hear.
CHAPTER XXXI
"0
Feather Flop's Temptation
UEER/' said Feather Flop, as he stopped
crowing for a moment early the next morn-
ing, ''queer, that I can never get to sec
my little Miss alone any more. How I do hate to see
company come, for then I can't get a word with her!
Never mind, FU go over to the vegetable garden in
a few minutes to see how everything is getting
along. Fll crow very loud now; she might possibly
hear and come out."
He flapped his wings and swelled out his breast,
and began to crow loud and long.
He looked at the window^s of Mary Frances' room.
''No sign of her yet. Well, I'll go over to the
garden now, and I'll work hard to help her."
He walked over to the play house garden, occa-
sionally stopping to give an answer to a neighboring
hen or rooster.
"You're earlier than usual this morning," crowed
the rooster in the next neighbor's yard.
[ 17.5 )
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The AIaky Franxes Garden Book
t
%
0 J
•^
y
' ' Cock-a-doodle-doo, ' ' answered Feather Flop. ' ' It
doesn't take much to beat you! Good-morning,
though!" and walked on.
When he arrived at the vegetable garden, he fell
right to work pulling weeds from between the rows of
onions and peas.
When he came to the lettuce, he stopped his
work.
"My," he said. "My, doesn't that look good!
Oh, how sweet and tender that looks ! I don't believe
anybod}^ would miss a leaf or two of the little leaves
inside those largest heads."
He picked at the inside of the largest and most
beautiful head in the garden.
" Good ! " he ejaculated. " Good! I should think so !
I wish I had more!"
"I hope nobody saw me," he whispered as he
looked around. No one was in sight. "Nobody
would miss that little peck! I'll try another head."
"That's better than the other," he said, swallowing
the dainty morsel and blinking hard. "I'll take a
little from each of these large heads, and nobody will
know anything about it."
l^ATHER Flop's Temptation
177
"That's all I'll try now," he decided finally. "I
don't wonder human beings like such stuff."
He fell to work again and stopped only when he
saw Mary Frances and Eleanor come out of the house
and go to the hammock. Then he ran near enough to
hear what they were saying.
''To-morrow morning," Mary Frances began, "to-
morrow morning I can take in the beautiful lettuce.
Oh, Eleanor, such perfect heads. I can scarcely wait
one more day."
''If we hadn't promised to go over to Cloverdale,
we would work in the garden all day to-day, wouldn't
we, Mary Frances?" said Eleanor.
"Eleanor, I believe you love a garden almost as
much as I!" declared Mar}^ Frances. "Well, we can't
work in the garden to-day; we must get ready for our
httle journey."
"But, oh — ^lettuce for to-morrow!" cried Eleanor,
throwing her arm around Mary Frances' waist as they
skipped up the walk into the house.
Feather Flop watched them from behind the tree
where he was hiding. "Maybe I oughtn't to have
touched it after all," he said.
^S^
V [j
CHAPTER XXXII
Feather Flop Gets Angry
tell y^EATHER FLOP was in the vegetable garden the
ri next morning long before the children came for
'^. the radishes and lettuce.
When he saw them coming, he ran around a corner
of the play house, where he could hear every word,
but could not be seen.
"Oh, Billy," cried Mary Frances, happily, "isn't
this just fine! Eleanor and I will pull the radishes and
you can get the lettuce."
Eleanor began to help Mary Frances, and Billy
went to the lettuce bed.
"Well, of all things!" He shouted so loud both
the girls jumped.
"What in the world's the matter?" Mary Frances
dropped the radishes she had in her hand.
"Matter!" roared Billy. "Matter! That old
rooster of yours has eaten the hearts of the lettuce!
That's all! Darn him!"
"Oh, Billy, don't use such language!" cried Mary
fl7Sl
JAik
Feather Flop Gets Angry
179
Frances. "Maybe he didn't do it. Maybe it was a
cutworm or a sparrow, or — or — "
''Look here!" demanded Billy. ''Who took that
bite?" pointing to a hole in the lettuce just the size
of Feather Flop's beak.
"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Marj^ Frances, "Fm afraid
it was Feather Flop! Oh, how could he have done
such a thing!"
"That's not the only one!" went on Billy, examin-
ing further. "Every one of these big heads has just
such a bite taken out!"
"What shall we do!" exclaimed Eleanor. "What
a disappointment!"
"Fm read}^ to cry!" said Mary Frances. "1
wonder if anj^ of it is fit to use!"
"Yes," answered Billy, "of course, you can use
some of the leaves, but the beauty of each head is
spoiled! Here, you girls take these things to the
house."
"Where are you going?" asked Mary Frances.
"I'm going hunting — Shunting for a bird!" replied
Billy grimly.
"Oh, don't hurt him!" called the girls.
180
The Mary Frances Garden Book
"Not if I can help it," said Billy.
''What are you going to do with him?" again called
Mary Frances.
"Come help me catch him, and you'll see. I'm
going to make a prisoner of him!" Billy just then
caught sight of Feather Flop as he half ran and half
flew across the lawn.
The rooster gave them a long chase, but finally
Billy caught him and tucked him under his arm.
Feather Flop meanw^hile kept up an incessant
chatter.
"We know you're not pleased, old fellow,"
said Billy as he put~ him into a coop and held it
down, ''but you're going to be put into a safe
place. No pleading off for you! Now, I've got you
fixed."
"Yes, you bad boy!" said Mary Frances.
At twilight, however, a little girl crept out with a
plate of lettuce to the old hen-coop where Feather
Flop was prisoner.
"Feather Flop," Mary Frances whispered softly,
"Feather Flop!" but there was no answer.
She stooped down and looked into the coop. At
JAik
Feather Flop Gets Angry
181
first she didn't sec the rooster, then she espied him
leaning up close to the farthest corner.
"Why, Feather Flop," she exclaimed, "are 3^011
ill? Wh}' didn't you answer?"
"I'm not sick," muttered Feather Flop.
"Why, what is the matter then, old fellow?" said
Mary Frances.
"Are you going to let me out?" asked the rooster
sullenl}'.
"Not to-night. Feather Flop, Fm afraid. I think,
myself, you need a little punishment. Tell me, why
did you do it?"
''I'll not answer," said Feather Flop. "I'm
mad!"
"Oh, Feather Flop!" exclaimed Mary Frances.
"Oh, Feather Flop! You did wrong, and now you're
angry! "WTiat is the matter with you? You used to
be so nice!"
"Oh, let me alone," answered the rooster.
"All right, then," said Mary Frances. "All right!
I'm going away now."
"I don't care! You could have saved me from
being a jail bird!" said Feather Flop, turning tail.
m
182
The Mary Frances Garden Book
'' Excuse me, I don't care to answer another word!"
he declared, putting his head under his wing.
Just then her mother called her, and Alary Frances
had to leave him to go into the house.
''Poor old Feather Flop!" murmured the little girl.
"Maybe I should have saved him from being locked
up hke a real thief! I don't believe he meant to be
so bad!"
CHAPTER XXXIII
Father and Mother's Surprise
U
P
ERHAPS you suspected, Mother dear,"
said Mary Frances after showing the
radishes and lettuce, and telling about the
garden lessons Billy had taught her. ''Perhaps you
and Father suspected we were gardening."
''We had an idea that something was being done in
that line," smiled her mother, "but we did just as you
requested. We didn't try to find out."
"Wasn't that dear!" exclaimed Eleanor. "I think
Mary Frances has such wonderful experiences!"
"She has had a happy life," said the mother, look-
ing sjmipathetically at Mary Frances' little friend, for
Eleanor's mother had died two years before.
Onl}^ for a few moments did the tears stand in
Eleanor's eyes, then she said:
"Mary Frances has been so good about sharing her
splendid times with me. Do you remember the cook-
ing lessons, and the sewing lessons, and Mrs. Paper
Doll's housekeeping lessons, girlie?"
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^
184
The Mary Frances Garden Book
ITS,
h
M
''They're not so far past that you can't remember,"
smiled Mary Frances' mother, ''but you girls are
growing up fast. I hope that, even when you are young
ladies, you will delight in just such lessons as you have
already had."
"I feel sure I shall," declared Mary Frances.
"I do, too," said Eleanor.
"Play lessons," went on the mother, "keep fun in
your hearts and 'fun keeps one young,' you know."
"Well, these garden lessons were fun," said Mary
Frances, "but they had a great deal of hard work
attached. Oh, Mother dear, I'll ask you what I
meant to! May we serve the lettuce and radishes for
dinner, and not say a word to Father about them?
Then, perhaps he'll say, 'What fine radishes! What
tender lettuce ! Where did you get them, Mother? '
Oh, wouldn't I just love that to happen!'
"I don't doubt that he will say it, Mary Frances!
I would, I know, for I've not seen any so fine this
year," replied her mother.
"I have the radishes all washed and ready for the
table," said Eleanor. "Shall I put them on?"
Mary Frances nodded.
Father and Mother's Surprise
185
''Just put them in the refrigerator until nearer the
meal hour," said her mother, ''then they'll get more
crisp!"
"How about this lettuce?" asked Mary Frances,
who had it well washed by this time. "Feather Flop
didn't hurt it so much after all," she said to herself.
"I don't think I'll say anything about what he did."
"Put it in this glass-covered dish and place it on
the ioe to make it crisp in the same way."
"Here comes Father!" exclaimed Mary Frances,
and she and Eleanor ran to meet him.
"Dinner's about ready, Father," said the mother,
greeting him and nodding her head to the girls to put
their "surprise" on the table.
"Billy will be here in a minute," he rephed. "I
saw him as I turned in the walk. There he is, now."
"Why," he exclaimed, as he looked at the table,
"where did these beautiful little red radishes come
from? We haven't seen such beauties this year!
And that lettuce! Who's been sending in such a
treat?"
Mary Frances was delighted.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
rsi,
"^
Y
''It's our surprise!" she explained. "They are
from my owti garden, Father!" and she told about the
lessons.
At least she tried to tell, but Billy, and Eleanor,
too, helped in telling the story.
"Such interesting lessons, Father!" said Mary
Frances. "My, I had no idea gardening is so won-
derful."
"Fine!" exclaimed her father. "Billy boy, I see
^ it paid to send you to a practical school."
"I wish," said Eleanor, "that Bob was going to
study gardening, too."
"Can't you persuade your father to send him
away to Billy's school this Fall?"
"Wouldn't that be splendid!" exclaimed Eleanor.
"I never thought of it. FU try my best!"
"But, Father, you and Mother both had an idea
of what we were about, hadn't you?" asked Billy.
"We knew 'something was up,' Billy," smiled his
father, "but we didn't know radishes and lettuce were."
Everybody laughed.
"Now, that we're all in the secret," Mary Frances
declared happily, "I like it better than ever."
Father and Mother's Surprise
187
"Father can give us a lot of information I don't
know a bit about," said Billy.
'^I believe Mother knows a lot she's not telling,"
said Mavj Frances.
''Father, won't you give us some lessons on the
wild flowers?" asked Billy.
"That would be delightful," his mother said. "We
could all share in such lessons. For instance, some
day soon we could all take a walk in the woods."
"Won't that be a picnic!" Billy was enthusiastic.
"When shall w^e go? Can't you make a holiday of
it, Father? Let us take our lunch."
"If it suits all parties, we'll go day after to-mor-
row," said his father.
"It just suits me!" declared Billy.
"It just suits me!" echoed Mary Frances.
"It just suits me!" said Eleanor.
"How about you, Mother?" asked the father.
"It will charm me to accept the invitation,"
smiled the mother.
"Don't you girls oversleep!" warned BiUy.
"Oh, Billy, we're not the sleepy-heads!" laughed
Mary Frances, shaking her finger at Billy.
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CHAPTER XXXIV
Feather Flop Makes Up
NLESS you speak to me, Feather Flop,"
said Mary Frances, when she took his break-
fast to the coop next morning, ''unless
you speak to me, I am not coming out again! Fm
going to get Billy to bring you your food," and she
turned away.
Feather Flop stuck his head between the slats of
the coop, and a tear rolled out of each eye.
"Oh, please don't go away," he begged. ''I'm so
awfully ashamed of myself I don't know what to say.
That's the reason I didn't answer."
"You poor dear old Feather Flop," cried Mary
Frances, opening the slats. "You poor old fellow!"
"I'm so awfully ashamed," went on the rooster,
"that I'd gladly have you chop mj^ head off and make
a pot pie of me."
"Oh, Feather Flop, don't feel quite so bad as that,"
exclaimed Mary Frances. "I forgive you, my friend."
For the first time. Feather Flop looked up.
Feather Flop Makes Up
189
''Do you?" he asked. "Please tell me again."
'*! forgive you, Feather Flop," repeated Mary
Frances, gathering him up in her arms. *' The lettuce
wasn't so badly hurt, after all."
"My, Fm so thankful," said Feather Flop, "though
I don't see how you can forgive me. Are you certain
that you do?"
"Very certain!" smiled Mary Frances. "As cer-
tain as I am that you'll never do such a thing
again!"
"Never again!" solemnly declared Feather Flop,
holding up one claw. "Never again!"
"Well, now, eat your breakfast," said Mary
Frances, putting him down and gently stroking his
beautiful feathers.
"I — haven't — eaten — a — beakful," said Feather
Flop between hungry pecks, "since — I — was — put — in
prison, — so — you — can — imagine — how — a\^^f uUy
— hungry — I — am. ' '
"Indeed I can," laughed Mary Frances, delighted
to see him his own self again.
"Does being forgiven always make a person feel
hungry?" asked Feather Flop.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
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''Well, being unforgiven makes a person feel very
unhungry," said Mary Frances.
''A strange thing about me, I guess," said Feather
Flop, ''is, that after I've eaten a full meal, Fm not
hungry."
"Of course not," laughed Mary Frances. " Nobody
ever is."
"It's very sad, though," declared the rooster.
"Why," began Mary Frances, "I don't see any-
thing sad about that."
"It's sad, because it's so much fun to be hungry
and eat. I'd like to eat every minute myself — when
I'm forgiven."
"You do pretty well. Feather Flop," said Mary
Frances. "I wouldn't complain. It's far worse to be
hungry and not to be able to get food."
"I hadn't thought of that," said Feather Flop.
"What's the next lesson?" he asked abruptly.
"Next lesson?" echoed Mary Frances. "Oh,
about roses. Isn't that a nice one?"
"Call on me for anything I can do," said Feather
Flop. "I'd starve a year and a half before I'd touch
anything good in the garden again."
Feather Flop Makes Up
191
''Oh, thank you, my friend," said Mary Frances.
''Thank 3^011! I'll call upon you, never fear. I must
go now, though."
"Shake hands?" asked Feather Flop, holding out
his claw. "Just to show real forgiveness."
"Certainly," said Mary Frances, taking his claw in
her hand and shaking it in a most serious fashion.
As much as she wanted to, she did not smile.
VC
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CHAPTER XXXV
Roses
ERY many people love roses more than any
other flowers," began Billy, "and Miss
Gardener explained to us that for this
reason, rose growing has become a specialty among
professional floriculturists."
''Mercy, Billy," interrupted Mary Frances, "please
explain those last two long words."
" 'Professional floriculturists,' "explained Billy, "are
men who raise flowers as a profession or business."
"Thank you," said Eleanor.
The children were in the rose arbor, where the
girls had begged him to give them a lesson on roses.
"Because," Eleanor had said, "roses are my favor-
ite flowers."
" Mine, too, except violets," Mary Frances had added.
"The result of this specializing," resumed Billj^,
"is that there are many beautiful new kinds of roses
constantly being introduced into our country, for
while a good many new roses have been produced
[192]
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Roses
193
here, the most have been produced by growers across
the ocean, in Ireland and France."
''I never knew that," exclaimed Eleanor. ''I
thought that roses were — just roses
"So did I!" declared Mary Frances. Then sud-
denly, ''Oh, here comes mother! Don't stop talking,
Billy! Mother will love to hear!"
"Oh, I don't think—" began Billy.
"Please let me listen, Son," interrupted his mother's
pleasant voice. "You know how I love roses, I would
certainly appreciate hearing what 3^ou learned from
your teachers about them."
"Well, all right. Mother," said Billy, "but I'll
stick more closely to my notes than I generally do,
since we are honored by your presence."
The girls made room for her on the arbor seat, and
Billy opened his note book.
"Here is the place," he said in a moment, "Here
commences the lesson on Roses —
Old-Fashioned Roses
, A flower garden would be lacking in interest and beauty,
indeed, without the Queen of Flowers, the rose.
Nr**"**
The Mary Frances Garden Book
No matter how small the garden space, some roses may be
grown, and their loveliness and perfume will well repay the work
of caring for them.
There were no such beautiful roses in your grandmothers'
gardens as you may grow to-day, for more beautiful and more
perfect roses come into existence every year.
Perhaps you have heard of "Damask," and "Cabbage,"
and "China" roses; old-fashioned sounding names they are,
very familiar to the ears of your grandparents.
They were the great-great-grandparents of the hardier and
lovelier roses of to-day, the "Hybrid Perpetuals," and "Hybrid
Teas."
How New Roses Came About
Some few of the new roses were accidents, so called because
good Mrs. Bee carried some strange rose pollen to the pistil of
one or more of the old-fashioned roses, and the new rose seed-
babies took on a new nature. When the little plants from the
new rose seed-baby bloomed, rose lovers were tlelighted vath the
more perfect loveliness of the new flower.
They carefully saved the new plant, and tenderly cared
for it. AVhen it was old enough and strong enough, the>^ took
"cuttings" from its shoots, and grew more plants like it.
Now, rose lovers after noticing what good Mrs. Bee had
done by accident, thought, "I wonder if a person could not dust
the pollen from a very different rose on the pistil of some par-
ticular rose." This was tried, and to-day we have such wonder-
Roses
ful improvements on the old-fashioned roses that no other flower
gives quite the pleasure to garden lovers as the rose.
How Roses are Propagated
No, the seeds of the new varieties would probably not bring
plants like themselves. More likely they would resemble closely
their parents or grandparents. Besides, it takes a long time to
raise a plant from a rose seed.
So the safest and surest way to propagate, or grow more
of, the new varieties is by:
(a) Cuttings, or
(6) Budding.
Cuttings
Cuttings are "slips" cut from the plant, which if kept in
damp sand will take root.
New geranium plants are usually procured in this way.
In fact, the old plant is often cut entirely up into sections and each
section is planted in an earthen pot. They are kept damp, and
soon throw out roots. The new plants of the geranium will bloom
much better than the old one, especially in winter, in the house.
Many roses will readily grow out-of-doors from cuttings.
Among these are the Ram])ler roses, the Dorothy Perkins being
one of the easiest to raise. Among the Hybrid Tea roses, the
La France grows readily from cuttings.
Cuttings, however, do best if raised under glass, in a green-
house.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
Each little cutting may have its own greenhouse. This is
arranged by —
Growing Rose Cuttings Under Glass Jars
At any time in warm weather some cuttings will take root
imder an inverted jar. The best time to experiment, however,
is in the Spring or in August.
Th^ tip cut from a strong growing shoot, or cane, does best.
It should have at least three joints, one of which is near the base.
After all the leaves but one, and the tip are cut off, the "slip"
is placed in damp sandy soil up to one-third of its length, and
covered over with an inverted quart jar. The glass jar is the
little cutting's own hot-house where it will ha\^e wonderfully
good conditions for "taking root."
Do not lift the jar for many a day, but keep the soil well
watered.
After a number of weeks, most likely you will notice new
leaves putting forth, and will knoM' that the cutting has become
a little plant with its own roots. I.et it grow under the jar until
the tip reaches the glass; then uncover.
It is not necessary to make cuttings especially for the pur-
pose, for rose* bushes have been raised from the stem of a bloom-
ing rose after the blossom has faded.
* Mary Frances has several rose bushes blooming, which she made
from cuttings. She saved some especially beautiful cut roses which were
given her. When the flowers had wilted she cut them off and followed the
directions Billv had given.
Roses 197
Cuttings are inexpensive, and the method is an easy one
for obtaining a large number of plants; but there is a better and
quicker and more certain way for professional rose growers.
This is by —
Budding
In order to find what is meant by budding, you must under-
stand that the "bud" referred to means the little green ''eye"
on the stem of the plant where a branch will grow.
This "eye" is cut off with a sharp knife, and slipped under
the bark of some wild rose plant, called the "stock."
The advantage of budding is that the growth is rapid and
commences with the strong roots of the wild plant.
If you buy rose plants from the dealer, they will probably
be budded plants. Now, watch for —
"Suckers"
You see, in budding, after the "bud" or "eye" has begun
to put forth leaves, all the branches of the wild rose plant are
cut away, and only the new bud allowed to grow. Sometimes the
wild rose stock or root will send out a shoot after the new rose
bush is planted. If this is allowed to grow, it will use all the
food sent up by the roots, and the new budded growth will die
out, unless the vrild rose shoot is cut off close.
"Suckers" are very easily discerned. They are full of
prickles, are light green in color, and usually have seven leaves.
Cultivated rose bushes with few exceptions have five leaves.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
You do not want to find any of your lovely rose bushes
killed in this way — so watch out for "suckers!"
Billy looked up from his note book, ''I haven't
read exactly as I have taken these notes," he said;
''I've made the lesson shorter. Do you wish me
to go on?"
''Oh, please do!" cried the girls.
''Yes, Son," said his mother, "that is, if you are
not too tired. I imagme we are coming to that in-
teresting point where we will learn what roses were
recommended to j^ou for plantmg."
CHAPTER XXXVI
The Best Roses to Plant
T
and —
right,
OU are quite
''but before we
learned a little
Mother," rephed Billy,
were given the lists, we
more about the history
Classes of Roses
If we should go back many years, and give the names ot
the old roses and follow their history until the present time, you
could scarcely remember their names.
Already you have heard of "Damask," "China," and "Cab-
bage" roses, and have been told that they were among the grand-
parents of the roses of to-day.
The Homes of Certain Roses
Perhaps it would interest you to know that Damask roses
were found around Damascus, in Syria, and taken to Europe
in about the year 1573; that the "Cabbage", or "Provence",
rose is supposed to have been known to the Romans, and later
was grown extensively in Provence, in the South of France;
that the "China" rose was brought to Europe sometime in the
eighteenth century from China, where it is a native or "wild"
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
rose; that the beautiful, fragrant and delicate Tea rose was
brought from China to England about 1815.
About Hybrid Perpetual Roses
It is not necessary to tell what particular old roses became
the great-grandparents of our present roses. Indeed, it would be
a difficult matter, for commercial rose growers have guarded
well the secret of just what roses they used to produce the new
ones.
The term given to a new flower is hybrid, which means a
mixture. When, about the year 1825, a new class ot roses, called
the Hybrid Perpetual, was brought into existence, everybody was
glad, because these new hybrids bloomed longer than any of their
parents; were of good strong growth; and were perfectly hardy.
Perfectly hardy means that they would live out-of-doors over
severe winter weather.
Hybrid Perpetual roses are among our most prized roses of
to-day for these same reasons; but we now have a still more
valuable class of hybrids, with a longer season of bloom, which
were derived from —
Tea Roses
Perhaps the loveliest of all roses are the Tea roses, because
of their beauty and enchanting fragrance; but they are delicate.
Very few Tea rose bushes can live out-of-doors over cold weather.
Not only are Tea roses most beautiful and fragrant, but they
hloom almost continuously during the entire season.
The Best Roses to Plant
201 r
About Hybrid Tea Roses
So, as 1 .have said, garden lovers who lived where the winters
were severely cold and bring snow, could not have the lovely Tei
roses in their gardens.
You can imagine their delight_when another new class of
roses appeared — roses which l^loom freely like the Tea roses,
and have mucli of their fragrance, yet are hardy and can live out-
of-doors in winter weather, except in the "way north country."
The name of this wonderful new class of roses is Hybrid
Tea; which means, as you already know, that the new roses are
the result of a mixture of Tea roses with others.
Hybrid Tea roses are, in fact, a mixture of Tea roses with
Hybrid Perpetuals.
What Roses to Plant
For blooms for cut fiowers, you will plant many Hybrid
Tea roses, and some few Hybrid Perpetuals; for, while Hybrid
Perpetuals bloom plentifully only in June, and have a few blooms
in the Autumn, they are so large and magnificent that no one
wishes to do without the following:
Hybrid Perpetual Roses
(Abbreviation: H. P.)
Hybrid Perpetual Roses
bloom profusely iii June,
and a few times in Summer;
quite well in the Fall. They
are very haidy. Prune
after June blooming to get
Autumn blooms.
Paul Neyron :
One of the largest roses in existence; a deep
pink in color.
PVau Karl Druschki:
Pure white, large and perfect in form,
sometimes 3 inches long. Blooms well.
Buds
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Hybrid Perpetual
Roses — Cordinued
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Mrs. John Laing:
Soft pink, very fragrant and free flowering ; one
of the best.
I Prince Camille de Rohan:
[ Deep crimson maroon.
There are several other very desirable Hybrid Perpetual
roses, but the name of one only of each color has been listed,
)ecause one has so much more pleasure in cutting a half dozen
buds of the same color and form than a mixture of different
kinds.
Even if one has space for many rose bushes, there is a great
deal more satisfaction in having two or more bushes of the same
variety than many different kinds, for a bouquet of the same
kind of flowers is so much more beautiful than an assort-
ment.
Perhaps you thought that the words Hybrid Perpetual meant
continuous blooming. Many a gro^vn person has made this
mistake in looking over the seedsmen's catalogs. Probably the
name Perpetual refers to the fact that the plant lives over
from year to year and has such a long life. In England,
however, Hybrid Perpetuals bloom for a much longer tune
than in our country, for the climate is better suited to
roses.
Of the many, many l^eautiful Hybrid Tea roses, you will
wish red, white, pink, and yellow; and you will be pleased if
you grow some of the following:
Best Roses to Plant
Hybrid Tea Rosos
(Abbreviation: H. T.)
Hybrid Tea Roaes are
free-blooming, hardy, and <
combine to a large degree
the beauty of color of the
H. P. with the fragrance
and continuance of bloom
^f the Tea roses.
General McArthur.
A satisfactory bloomei-, crimson scarlet.
Good for cutting.
Gruss an Teplitz.
Bright crimson. Pretty foliage. Flowers in
clusters on a weak stem. A constant bloomer,
and very desirable for that i-eason, and for
the color nnd form of foliage.
White:
1 . Kaiserin Augusta Victoria.
Pearly white, tinged with light yiiUow. A
very satisfactory rose.
2. Innocence.
Whiter A good bloomer.
Pink:
1. Caroline Testout.
Very good for color and hardiness. Fragrant ;
blooms freely.
2. Killarney.
A general favorite, Ixicause of good color and
form, and a continuous bloomcu-. Subject to
mildew.
La France.
Excellent. Very fragrant. Cliarming in color.
Other e.xc(!llent pink roses:
Lady Ashtown.
Killarney l^rilliant.
Yellow :
1. Duchess of Wellington.
Deep yellow and orange. Excellent bloomer.
lybrid Tea
Continued
Roses —
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Yellow — CotUinued
2. Mrs. Aaron Ward.
Indian yellow; free blooming.
3. Marquise de Sinety.
A magnificent rose of sunset shades, but not
so easily cared for, nor so free blooming, as
Duchess of Wellington.
In looking over these lists, perhaps you are wondering why
you do not find the name of the rose, American Beauty, so dear
to American hearts. The American Beauty rose is not hardy,
and is grown under glass, and as we are considering only out-of-
door roses, it is not listed.
If you happen to live m the warm climate of the South or
in California, you can have the luxury of growing the more ten-
der roses, and I am giving you a list of some of the best Tea roses.
Do not attempt to raise them if you live where there is much
snow in winter; a few of these might "winter over" if well pro-
tected, but with the many exquisite Hybrid Tea roses, it is only
a waste of time for young gardeners to experiment.
Red:
There are no dark red tea roses, the nearest
perhaps being Souvenir de Catherine Guillet,
coppery-carmine, shaded with yellow.
White:
Mrs. Herbert Stevens.
Beautiful in form. Sometimes tinged with
faint pink shadings.
White Mamam Cochet.
White, sometimes tinged with pink.
The Best Roses to Plant
205
List of Tea (Scented)
Roses — Continued
Pink:
Mamam Cochet.
Hardiest of all Tea rosea; excellent for cut-
ting. Free blooming.
Duchesse de Brabant.
Most fragrant. Silvery pink.
Yellow:
1. Lady Hillingdon.
Reddish yellow; a beautiful rose.
I 2. Souvenir de Pierre NottiAg.
[ Canarj'^-yellow, deeper in center.
Below is a list of Climbing Roses. Climbing roses were
brought into existence in a way similar to any of the other new
roses.
'Red:
Excelsa.
A gi'eat improvement on the Crimson Ram-
bler, the foliage being nearly free from mildew.
Blooms in June.
American Beauty Climbmg Rose.
Resembling the American Beauty in shade;
blooms are of quite good size, on weak stems,
but rather good for cutting. A desirable rose,
but not for showy effect.
Pink:
Dorothy Perkins.
A splendid rose; grows very rapidly, some-
times 20 feet in a season. Flowers in clusters.
P'oliage charming. Blooms in June.
Hardy Climbing Roses
(For places where the
winters bring .'?now)
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Debutante.
Fragrant, very desirable because blooming
sometimes in July, in September and October.
Tausendschon.
Sometimes called "Rose of a Thousand
Blooms." S Flowers early in large clusters.
Very hardy; beautiful foliage. Color, blush
pink and white.
American Pillar.
Grows very rapidlj'. A brilliant pink single
rose, borne in clusters. Foliage excellent.
White:
White Dorothy.
Flowers at the same time as the Pink Dorothy
Perkins.
In warmer parts of the country there is a great variety of
beautiful climbing roses, among which may be named:
f Pink:
Climbing Bridesmaid.
Hose pink with crimson shadings, very fra-
grant.
The Best Roses to Plant
207
Yellow ;
CUmbing Roses-Co«- Marechal Niel
tinved I This well-known magnificent climbing r<;
bears masses of double fragrant, blooms whi( i
are excellent for cut 1 ing.
There is another class of roses about which you should know:
WiCHURAIANA RoSES (EVERGREEN OR MEMORIAL RoSEs)
These roses will live in our coldest climate.
The first were brought from Japan in 1892. The Wichura-
iana roses are. highly valued where the winters are severe or
where the plant cannot receive special care, as in a cemetery.
(For this reason they have been called "Memorial.') Once
planted, they seem to care for themselves. They trail along the
ground, or over rocks, and often climb over any support.
Do not plant them in the rose garden where you need space
to grow bushes for blooms which are lovely for cutting.
Wichuraiana roses bloom in June and July and sometimes
later. Insects do not trouble the beautiful shiny foliage, which
stays green nearly all winter.
The single roses, if not cut, become red berries in the Autumn.
^^Wichuraiana" is the catalog name of the single variety.
Blooms of the Wichuraiana roses are small compared with
the Hybrid Tea or Hybrid Perpetual, but some arc beautiful.
[Gardenia.
The Best Wichuraiana J Sometimes called ''Hardy Marechal Niel," bears
Rose ] lovely yellow buds which open into double flowers
I of cream color, resembling a Cape Jessamine.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
Suppose you live at the seashore or in the mountains; sup-
pose you have very poor soil for roses; then you will be glad
to plant —
RuGOSA Roses
Sometimes Rugosa Roses have been called, "Ironclad,"
because of their thick leathery foliage, which is seldom, if ever,
troubled with insects; and because of their wonderful hardiness
and ability to live under trying conditions.
They bloom earh', in large flowers, some of which resemble
large single wild roses; others resemble large ''double wild roses,"
if you can imagine such roses. Many make the Autumn gay
with their brilliant red seed berries.
Do not make the mistake of planting Rugosa among the
rose bushes you are growing for cut flowers.
They are used where heavy growth is needed; as among
shrubbery or for a hedge. A single plant looks well on a lawn
or at a corner of a house. The Rugosa roses grow from four to
six feet tall.
In case you wish one or two of these, the following are —
The Best Rugosa Roses
(Ramanas, Japanese)
Of very hardy heavy
growth, with large single or
semi-double flow^ers, many
bearing red seed pods in
Autumn.
White:
Blanc Double de Coubert.
Pure double white blooms.
Pink:
Conrad F. Meyer.
Silvery rose; double; one of the best.
The Best Roses to Plant
''There/' said Billy, looking up from his book,
"isn't that a long lesson? Well, the reason for it
all is this: Miss Gardener and Professor Weed ar?
rose enthusiasts — 'rose crazy,' we boj^s called them."
"Their love of roses was an excellent thing for
you boys," said his mother, "for I believe you know
more on the subject than most grown-up people."
"Just listen!" exclaimed Mary Frances, ''Bill}^,
don't you feel repaid for giving us the lesson? What
comes next?"
"Next comes — let me see," replied Billy. "Oh,
yes, it's about planting and caring for roses, I re-
member."
"When will you give us that?" asked Eleanor.
"Does it tell about 'Tree Roses?'" asked Mary
Frances eagerly before Billy could answer Eleanor.
"I'll tell you now,^' he said, "about —
Tree Roses
Tree Roses are Hybrid Perpetual or Hybrid Tea or other
roses, budded or grafted high up on strong stock, or wild growth,
and cut or pruned to the form of trees.
They are very attractive in a formal or "set out" garden,
or for edging walks, but such great care must be taken to keep
The Mary Frances Garden Book
them warm during cold weather that it is best not to try them
except in places where there is little snow in winter.
For winter bed covers, place boards around the plant and
fill with earth.
Miss Gardener said," went on Billy, ''that
English and Irish rose growers are constantly sending
, new varieties of roses over to Americans, but the new
roses have to be tested in our climate before we can
be certain if they will do well here. That's all the
lesson for to-day," he declared. ''Come to-morrow
morning for the next lesson — that is, if you want to.
The day after, you know, we go on the Wild Flower
Picnic."
"'Z'
CHAPTER XXXVII
The Wicked Rose Bugs
'EALOUS care brings big reward in rose
growing/ our professor told us."
Billy was perched in the fork of an
apple tree. The two girls and his mother were sit-
ting on the grass which made a thick carpet beneath
its branches.
''He used to say it over so often that the fellows
nicknamed him 'Rosy,' " Billy went on.
"Oh!" exclaimed Mary Frances, "wasn't that
awful!" but she and Eleanor giggled, and even her
mother smiled.
"You didn't call him that, though?" said Eleanor.
" Not when he could hear me," laughed Bilty . " But
if I'm going to give you this lesson we must make a
start. The subject, b}^ the way, is —
How TO Plant Roses
Before you can make a list of the roses you wish to order,
you must understand something about the state in which they
will be when received, how far apart they may be planted, and —
212
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Where to Make Beds for Roses
Roses like warmth and air. They love to drink, but they
do not like wet feet.
Knowing these things, you will select for your rose bed an
airy, sunny place on the south side of a building or wall, if pos-
sible, where the ground is not so low that it will hold moisture
long.
Having decided what is the best place you can offer j'our
roses, you will want to know—
How TO Make Beds for Roses
1. Do not buy too many plants for the space. Do not
make the bed over five feet wide. If wider, you will tread on the
soil and make it heavy.
2. Remember, roses are usually planted twenty-one inches
apart. (Do not plant Wichuraiana or Rugosa roses in the bed.)
Alternate the plants, as shown in the following diagram :
(1) (2) (3)
(5) (4)
(6) (7) (8)
This saves garden space, and gives
room for the roots.
3. To be beautiful, roses must have plenty of good food.
So dig deep; eighteen inches is a good depth. Fill this space with
a mixture of soil and well-rotted stable manure. It is best not
to let the roots of the roses touch the manure. Sprinkle a
The Wicked Rose Bugs
213
little soil over the manure before putting the plant into its
olace. If the ground is very damp, dig deeper than two
feet and throw in a basket of stones, through which the water
will drain.
4. Roses are received from the dealer either growing in pots,
or dormant (dry), or with little balls of earth around the roots
wrapped in damp moss.
The young inexperienced gardener will do best with the
potted plants, but if the plants are dry and dormant (dormant
means sleeping), it is well to soak the roots before planting.
Never expose damp roots to the air. Keep in water or damp
earth until planted.
How Deep to Plant Roses
Unless grown in pots, spread out the roots and pack the
earth firmly about them, putting the plant deep enough to bring
earth three inches over the "bud" or graft.
The Best Time to Plant Roses
depends on where you live.
In general, Spring is the best time, but in the South and on
the Pacific coast, Autmnn is best.
Some of the hardiest sorts will grow well, when set out in the
Fall, even in places where the winters are severe.
Now, the bushes are planted, and we will think about —
214
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Caking for Roses
The chief cares for roses are:
1. Cultivating, or stirring the soil.
2. Feeding.
3. Destroying insect enemies.
4. Pruning.
You already understand the importance of cultivating and
the importance of feeding the plants.
Fertilizers
Two of the ]>est foods for roses and easiest to use, are bone
dust and dried sheep manure, which you can buy at the seed
store. These you may dig into the soil as you cultivate, being
sure not to let the fertilizers directly touch the roots.
Enemies of Roses
1 . Rose Bugs.
2. Aphids.
3. Rusts and Mildews.
4. Borers and other chewing insects.
There are several different kinds of beetles, called rose bugs,
whi(;h come up out of the ground where they have spent the
winter, just at the time of the most abundant and beautiful
blooming.
In the Middle Atlantic States they stay in a place about
two weeks.
The Wicked Rose Bugs
215
The best way to rid a plant of these enemies of roses which
"eat them alive," is to hand-pick them, throwing them into a
can of kerosene.
There is a patent preparation which is good. Write your
dealer for information as to this.
Treat for other insects as you have already learned.
If your parents think you may be trusted to handle a poison,
spray in the early Spring with "Bordeaux Arsenate of Lead"
to prevent mildew and rust. In summer, use Flowers of
Sulphur.
Now, as to —
Pruning Roses
Prune rose bushes in the early Spring, just when the plants
begin to show^ green, which means that their sap is beginning to
flow. Use pruning for cutting the stems back.
Remember these principal rules:
1. H>'brid Perpetual Roses should l)e ciit back about two
feet from the ground.
2. Cut back Hy))rid Tea Roses more sparingly, that is, farther
from the ground than Hybrid Perpetuals.
3. Cut back Tea Roses only a short distance.
4. Cut only the dead wood from the other kinds.
Pruning cuts off the ends of the branches and causes the
plant to throw out strong joints from the eyes along the canes,
which will l)ear flowers.
216
The Mary Frances Garden Book
''My/' exclaimed Mary Frances, as Billy closed
his book suddenly and jumped to the groimd. "Is
that all about roses?"
''No, dear," answered her mother. ''No, that is
just a 'first beginning,' as you used to say when you
were little."
"Speaking of insect enemies, I see the wicked rose
bugs have eaten into the hearts of the most beauti-
ful roses we own," went on her mother.
"Come," cried Mary Frances, "let's go see if
we can find them— and drown them in kerosene."
"Oh, but I'm afraid of them!" shuddered Eleanor.
Mary Frances laughed. "They won't hurt you!"
she said, running ahead. "I bet I can catch the
first hundred!"
:\~^
CHAPTER XXXVIII
The Fairy Wood Nymphs
JUST as the family had planned, they started on
the walk in the ^^•oods the next morning,
Mary Frances and Eleanor were walking
with their mother, while Billy and his father fol-
lowed with the lunch baskets.
''Be careful where you step!" called Billy sud-
denly; but it was too late, for with a cry of pain,
his mother fell upon the thick undergrowth.
Billy and his father came running.
''Oh," cried Mary Frances, "oh, dear! I ought
to have told mother. I remember tripping over
the vines here. Are you much hurt. Mother
dear?"
"Not much," she replied, but as she made an
effort to move, she sank back with a little sigh.
"It isn't a bad sprain, dear," said the father,
examining her ankle, "but you ought not walk an-
other step."
"Oh, the poor children will be so disappointed!"
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''That's just like mother!" exclaimed Mary
P'rances. "Never to think of herself first!"
"T know what you and I can do, Father/' said
Billy. "Let's make a 'sedan chair/ and carry mother
home."
"That's a good idea, Son — we'll leave the girls
and the lunch; and if the doctor says she may come,
I'll drive mother out late in the afternoon after she
has rested."
"Oh, no, let us go with you!" cried Eleanor and
Mary Frances together.
"It will make me so much happier, girls," said
the mother, "if you will stay and trj^ to enjoy your-
selves. Billy will be back soon, and maybe j'ou can
have a bunch of wild flowers ready to take home
when you come this afternoon. I'm not hurt seriously,
but I think a hot-water bath and bandage for this
ankle will prevent further trouble."
"All right, Mother dear," said Mary Frances,
kissing her. "If it will make you happier, we'll stay."
"I'd eat lunch right over there," suggested Billy,
l)ointing out a lovely green spot near a spring.
"Trust Bilh^ to think of pleasant 'eats/ " laughed
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219
Mary Franc(\s, as Eleanor and she picked up the
lunch baskets, and Billy and his father started off
with the mother comfortably seated on the ''sedan
chair" which they made with their hands.
''We'll wait for you, Billy," called Eleanor.
"Better not," said Billy, "because I may be late
— I may stay to dinner at home."
"We'll wait a while, any how," called Marj^
Frances. ' ' Good-bjT ! ' '
"Good-bye!" called everybody.
The girls felt quite lonely and sad as the other
three disappeared from sight.
"Oh, dear," sobbed Mary Frances, "I just pre-
tended to be cheerful because I knew how sorry
mother was to disappoint us."
"My, but you were brave," replied Eleanor.
"Indeed, I felt just like crying, but when I saw
how you were behaving, it made me feel ashamed."
"Well," said Alary Frances, drying her eyes, "let's
set the table — Billy will be back sooner or later, and
I don't want him to see I've been crying!"
So they spread their lunch cloth and paper plates.
^''^^
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220
The Mary Frances Garden Book
^\
''If we only had some flowers for a centerpiece!"
exclaimed Mary Frances.
''Let's go gather some!" suggested Eleanor.
"All right!" Mary Frances sprang up.
"What can w^e put them in?" asked Eleanor
practically.
*'0h, I knowM" cried Mary Frances running to
one of the lunch baskets. "Let's drink this milk,
and use the bottle for a holder."
"Lovely!" said Eleanor. "My, I didn't know I
was hungry!"
"Neither did I — let's take a sandwich and start."
Mary Frances led the w^ay. "I've often walked
through this path," she said, "and I've always found
•some flowers."^
"Oh, dear, w^hat w^as that?" cried Eleanor sud-
denly.
"Nothing at all," answ^ered Mary Frances, "or
maybe a bird flying about among the leaves."
"It isn't a bird!" declared Eleanor. "It's not a
bird!" pointing down among the whirling leaves.
"Hush! Do look carefully, Mary Frances, and
listen!"
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The Fairy Wood Nymphs
They stood still.
''Wild carrot, toad flax,
Buttercup and daisy,
Do you love them well as I?
If not, you'll be crazy."
Although the Yoice was very thin and piping,
they heard every word distinctl}^ "That's not a
bird," whispered Mary Frances.
"Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy," sang the
voice.
Still the girls didn't see anything among the leaves
where the voice seemed to come from.
^,
222 The Mary Frances Garden Book
''What?" again asked the Httle voice.
"Crazy," replied Mary Frances, laughing softly.
''But we're not crazy. We dearly love daisies, and
wild carrot, and buttercup and— well, yes, we love
toad flax, too."
"Oh, I'm so glad, because we can be friends."
At that the leaves began to whirl and dance
furiously, and out of the midst of them leaped a little
fellow not anything like as large as Mary Marie, Mary
Frances' doll.
He was dressed in forest brown from the tip of
his pointed cap to the toe of his pointed boot. His
coat and tin}' knickerbocker breeches were made of
green leaves. Even his hair and beard were yellowish-
green as though made of very fine grass. For buckles
on his shoes he wore tiny dew drops which glisteijed
like diamonds. The buttons on his coat were of the
same. At the end of his peaked cap dangled a tiny
wild fringed gentian.
"FloAver lovers are always friends," said he,
bowing. "Young ladies, it gives me much pleasure
to introduce myself. I am Jack-in-the-Pulpit!"
Mary Frances wanted to ask him how he hap-
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The Fairy Wood Nymphs
223
pened to be out of the pulpit, but she suddenly thoiij2;ht
he might not like the question, so she said:
''Why, how do you do, Mr. Jack? We are
pleased to know you;" and she and Eleanor both
smiled.
The little fellow was delighted.
''You reallj^ are glad — that I can see. There are
lots of human people who come into the A\oods who
never listen or look when we call."
"Why," asked Eleanor looking round, "are there
more of you?"
"Oh, my, yes," nodded the httle fellow. "Lots
and lots more, only the others are very busy
getting flowers ready for next Autumn and Spring
— that is, all but one. Her name is Bouncing
Bet."
At that, the leaves began to bounce and to whirls
again, and out of their midst sprang a tiny little lady.
She was so beautiful that both the girls exclaimed,
"Oh, isn't she lovely!"
She certainly was loveh^, in a go^\Ti of queen's
lace over wild rose petals. On her feet were tiny
lady slippers; on her head a lovely violet. Her hair
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
was of yellow-white thistle-down. AVheii she spoke,
lier voice sounded hke a laughing bell.
'^So you've found them at last, Jack," she laughed.
''You've found human beings who can hear us and
can see us. Let's tell what we can do for them."
''Yes," said the little fellow in green, taking
Bouncing Bet's hand and speaking to the girls.
"Please be seated."
As the girls sat down on the grassy slope, Jack
began to speak:
"We know you are wondering whether we are
really the flowers, ' Jack-in-the-Pulpit ' and 'Bouncing
Bet.' Xo, we are the fairies of those flowers. Every
kind of flower has its fairy. They try to talk with
the human beings they see, but very few can hear
them or see them. .Now, that you can see us and
hear us, we would like to take you with us into Fairy
Flower Land-
"And tell you all we can in one short afternoon
about wild flow^ers," finished Bouncing Bet. "Jack,
lead the way."
CHAPTER XXXIX
Good and Bad Weeds
AT that, the little fellow picked up a tiny stick,
/-\ which he used as a cane, and started ahead,
-*- -^ Bouncing Bet following with a happy hop-
skip-and-jump step.
Mary Frances and Eleanor were surprised that
they had to hurry to keep up to the tiny little
beings.
At length they came to a high hedge.
''Touch me with your hand," said Jack to Mary
Frances, holding out his arm.
''Touch me with your hand," said Bet to Eleanor.
"Now, when I say 'three,' all jump," commanded
Jack.
"One, two, three!" Over the top of hedge they
went as though they had wings, and found them-
selves in the midst of a wonderful garden.
"Oh," cried Mary Frances, "I never, never saw
so many wild flowers blooming at once.
"This is a fairy garden," answered Bouncing Bet,
226
The Mary Frances Garden Book
"and the fairies keep it for just such friends as you,
who are anxious to learn about wild flowers."
"But we can tell you only the shortest flower
stories to-day." Jack caught up the conversation.
"Just take a seat please, and I'll begin."
The girls sat on a pretty rustic bench under a
tree, and Jack and Bet leaped upon a branch in
front of them. Then Jack began:
"Good and Bad Weeds"
"Of- course you know that all the flowers culti-
yated in your gardens have come from wild flowers.
"Through j^earsiof care, the wild flowers have
improved so that it would be almost impossible to
trace each of the plants in your gardens to the wild
flowers from Avhich it was started.
"There are many hundreds of wild flowers, but
none more beautiful than those growing in America.
There are many different kinds which were growing
here when America was discovered, but the seeds of
msLuy more were carried over from Europe in grain
.for the colonists.
"Some of the wild things are most helpful to
0
Good and Bad Weeds
human beings; such as mint, and dock, and dear old
dandelions, and other 'weeds' which may be eaten.
From 'weeds' also come some of the most wonderful
of *medicines. Perhaps you have tested the medici-
nal effects of mustard, catnip, and boneset."
''I tried catnip on our Jubey," said Mary Frances.
''It did her lots of good."
'Tve had mustard plasters, and mustard baths,
and boneset tea when I've been ill with chills,"
Eleanor added.
"Just so! just so!" nodded Jack-in-the-Pulpit ;
''so you see, many 'weeds' are not useless plants, but
are very valuable. The Indians knew that."
"My, I hadn't any idea weeds were valuable,"
said Eleanor.
"I always knew about mint and catnip," Mary
Frances replied, "but I didn't know other weeds were
of so much help."
"Of course there are many ^^•eeds which seem of
no value at all. The}' steal the food of valuable
* F'or information concerning weeds used in medicine, send for Farmers'
Bulletin No. 1S8, which may be had free fiom the ITnited Stales Department
of Agriculture.
228
The Mary Frances Garden Book
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plants and choke them out." Jack went on. ^^For
instance, there's corn cockle, the seeds of which are
poisonous. It loves to grow among the corn and
wheat, and troubles the farmers terribly."
"I think the flowers are quite pretty," Mary
Frances ventured to say.
^'Oh, you know them when you see them?" asked
Jack. ''That's good, because we can go on with
our story faster if you know some of the wild flowers.
You would like to gather some out of our fairy gar-
den, wouldn't you? Well, you may take some of
all that are in bloom at this time of year, after we
finish telling you what we so much want you to learn
about our dear flowers."
''Now, it is Bet's turn," he went on, turning
toward the dainty little fairj', who began to bounce
happil}' up and down on the branch of the tree.
The girls were delighted with her dancing. At
length she stopped and began to talk in her musical
voice.
"I am going to talk a little about the flowers,"
she said, "and shall mention only the ones known
by most people, because we have such a short time
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Good and Bad Weeds
229
for your lesson. I shall just mention them, and if
you do not know them, please interrupt me, and
Jack and I will take you through the garden to show
them to you. Do you kno^^' the —
Daisy (Other names:
Ox-Eyed Daisj-,
White Weed) '
Great Mullein
names :
Velvet Dock,
Aaron's Rod,
Flannel Leaf)
(Other
"My winter
Bouncing Bet.
This charming gold and white, wheel-shaped
flower, which is a troublesome weed to the farmer,
blooms everywhere afield from May to November,
I from Canada to the southern States, and to the
Mississijjpi River. It is perhaps the best known
[ wild flower in the Eastern United States.
Almost everyw^here this tall rod, bearing yellow
flowers, which resemble huge buttercups, may be
seen from June to November. Its velvety leaves,
which grow in rosettes on the ground, are soft to
the tou(!h, but if sheep or cows try to eat them, the
down upon them becomes .splinters in the tongues
of tlu; animals. That is one reason it grows so
widelj- — the down saves the leaves from harm.
This same down is sometimes used by humming
birds to line their tiny nests, which are no larger
than a large thimble, yet hold two humming-bird
babies.
The seeds of the great Mullein are eaten by gold-
finches, or they would scatter yet more abundantly.
The great Mullein is a native of Europe.
is made
230 The Mary Frances Garden Book
"Mine is made of flannel leaf," Jack added.
"Yet they are both made of the leaves of the
great nmllein," laughed Mary Frances.
"Good." laughed Bouncmg Bet. "Jack, we didn't
catch her."
"Now comes a wild flower ^^•ith a charming name/'
slie went on. "It is the —
This bright orangd inilk-wccd is found blooming
nearly everywhere in the United States except the
far West, from June to September. It is greatly
loved by butterflies bccausi; in its small deep blos-
soms they find sweet nectai-, which even the long
tongues of bumble-bees cannot reach. The poUcm
lies deep, too, and adheres to tlie long legs of the
butterfly.
The stem has very little milky juice, and the seed
pods are not so inf cresting as those of the Common
Milk-weed.
(Other
This plant grows in the northern, eastern and
middle western part of the United States and is
most interesting because of the white milky juice in
the stA)ms, and because of the fluffy down in th? seed
pods. When 1 t<'ll j-ou about Seed Babies with
Wings, rjltellvou morr: .-'.liout this milk-weed dowTi.
Just as Bet finished speaking about the milk-weed,
there sounded a silvery clock.
Good and Bad Weeds
231
One! Two! Three! it chimed.
"Oh," exclaimed Jack. "Oh, can it be possible
that it is three o'clock! Bet, you must stop talking
and give me a chance!"
"Oh, dear," sighed Eleanor. "Oh, must she stop
talking? I am so anxious to learn more about the
wild flowers."
"Do you know all Fve told about, when you see
them?" asked Bouncing Bet.
"No," replied Eleanor. "Do you, Mary Fran-
ces?"
"Not all," Mary Frances shook her head.
"Come then," cried Jack and Bet, jumping from
the tree. "Come," and they led them among the
flowers, and pointed out to them besides the ones
mentioned: Wake Robins, Trailing Arbutus, Lupines,
Forget-Me-Nots, Columbines, Heather, Laurel, Cali-
fornia Poppies, and hundreds of other wild flowers
which were in bloom in the outside meadows and fields
and woods.
"Fm so sony we haven't time to tell you the
story of each one," said Jack. "Some time next
year, please come again and we'll tell you."
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The Maey Frances Garden Book
''We could come to-morrow, couldn't we, Mary-
Frances?" Eleanor ventured, but Jack answered:
''No, not to-morrow. Only once a year can flower
fairies talk with human beings. It must be to-day.
So now, just as quickly as possible, I am going to teU
3'ou something about how plants are related to each
other, but please be more comfortable. Do take a
seat in the grape-vine swing.
Then the girls noticed a hammock nearby, formed
by the interlacing of growling grape vines.
It was wonderfully comfortable, and they leaned
back contentedly as Jack took his place in a little
green lily-shaped flower growing close by, and Bounc-
ing Bet pranced around on the lawn near him.
Jack's in his pulpit now," she said. "Hear
him speak."
"Y
CHAPTER XL
Bouncing Bet and Her Friends
OUNG ladies," began Jack-in-the-Pulpit,
''Bouncing Bet and I have arranged a
little play for j^ou. It's to be this way:
after finishing a few introductory remarks, I will
call the names of various flower families. Bet has
been around to see certain members of each family,
and although they are very busy, they have prom-
ised to come ^\hen she calls — that is, the fairy of
each flower or plant that she calls will come to this
grassy slope which is to be the stage for our play."
''How perfectly lovely!" cried the girls.
"But they will have little time to talk," warned
Jack. "So," he went on, "let me tell you a few facts
about —
Plant Families
"It may surprise you to learn that certain plants
belong to certain plant families.
You know that certain animals belong to certain ^^((('^fyi^^^
234
The Mary Frances Garden Book
animal families and can easily recognize that gentle
Pussy Cat is a near relative of fierce Mr. and Mrs.
Tiger, and of Mr. and Mrs. Lion, and of Mr. and
Mrs. Panther and all the young panthers, and lions
and tigers. They all have some similarity: they all
have pointed teeth, and sharj:) claws, and can lap liquid
food with their tongues. They all tread with light,
soft-padded toes. There are other members of the
Cat Family of which you can think. Even though
Mrs. Puss is of near relation, she's mightily afraid of
her big relatives.
^'Now, I wonder if you know that faithful Mr.
Dog is own cousin to terrible Mr. and Mrs. Wolf.
Indeed, I may be mistaken, perhaps he is their own
]:)rother, they are so much alike in some waj^s.
"Just as animals belong to certain families so
n-nk X. ^^^ plants. They resemble each other in certain
l^vJ^^^N^^ points which you may not notice at first, but which
you would readily see if pointed out to you."
Jack drew quite a long breath.
''Now we are ready for the play, Bet," he an-
vvu^iiii nounced, and Bet bounced down to the grass-carpet
r
Bouncing Bet and Her Friends
235
Said Jack, "The first- plant family (lailpd upon
will be the Rose family.
Bouncing Bet blew a long musical whistle by using
two fingers at her tin}^ mouth, and out from some
shrubbery stepped a dainty little lad}^ dressed in
pink rose petals.
"My name is Rose," she said, smiling and throw-
ing the girls a kiss; "and I'll introduce some of my
cousins in the —
Rose Family
"Cherry," she called. Out stepped a red ripe
cherry with a white cap trimmed with green leaves.
Of course, the legs were verj^ tinj^, nearly like pins.
Cherry smiled and bowed and took a place beside
Rose.
"Peach," Rose called, and out stepped a beauti-
ful peach, with a pink cap, trimmed with green leaves, ^.-rf^^^^'^^/^
"Strawberry," called Rose, and surety enough, out '<U^^' H-^^
came a red ripe strawberry with a white cap trimmed
with green leaves.
"Blackberry," called the little Rose lady once
more, and before the word left her mouth, a big ^tfff((ii^/y,.,^
236
The Mary Frances Garden Book
blackberry came tumbling in, on his head a white
cap, trimmed with green.
'^Oh, pardon me," said Blackberry, picking him-
self up. '^I was afraid I'd be late."
Rose smiled and motioned the blackberry into
place beside the strawberry.
Once again Rose called a name.
^^ Apple, ''^ she called, and roly-poly, ''head-over-
tin-cups," came a round rosy-cheeked apple into their
midst.
''Excuse me," puffed Apple. "Please excuse my
manners, Cousin Rose, but I am so fat that hurrying
gets me all out of breath," and he fell in line.
"That will do," interrupted Jack-in-the-Pulpit,
"that will do for the Rose family; we will now — "
"Excuse me," interrupted Mary Frances, "but
may I ask — if all these are members of the Rose
family?"
"There's no mistake," replied Jack. "Now, if
you stop to think, j^ou'll realize how very much the
blossom of the cherry, and the strawberry, and the
blackberry, and the peach, and the apple resemble
.>di^S3^^'^'^'^^^^ a wild rose."
\^^^^
J
Bouncing Bet and Her Friends
237
''Oh, I do!" said Eleanor.
''And I remember also," added Mary Frances,
beaming, "that the seed pods of the roses look like
fruit."
"Good!" cried Jack, dancing around.
"Good!" cried Bet, bouncing around, and all the
members of the Rose families who were present
formed a "ring-around-a-rosy," and danced around
and around, and at length formed into line near the
bush through which they had come.
"Their caps are their blossoms!" exclaimed
Eleanor.
"They are," said Bouncing Bet. "Oh, you will
always be on the lookout now to find other mem-
bers of that family, for there are many more. I
wanted to call Bridal Wreath, but there wasn't
time."
"No time, indeed," interrupted Jack. "Now,
Bet, call the Night Shade famity. They are not so <^^*'
pretty as the Rose family," he whispered, "but just
as useful." Bouncing Bet blew upon her fingers.
"Indian file," she called, and out filed several
members of the
^^^■^m
238
The Mary Frances Garden Book
^^.V^*^-^
Night Shade Family
There were:
Common Night Shade, a tiny round black pill-like
berry with a tiny white cap.
Sand Burr, in a buff coat full of prickles. And
what do you think? There was —
Co7mnon White Potato, with a ridiculously small
bell-shaped green and white cap.
^'Oh/' Mary Frances could not help exclaiming;
''is White Potato a member of the Night Shade
family? I thought night shade was poison!"
''I ain't poison — I ain't! Not after I'm cooked!"
growled Potato. ''You've ate up enough of my
brothers and sisters to know" that!"
"Hush!" admonished Bouncing Bet. "Keep still!
That's terrible grammar, even though you are a com-
mon 'Tater/ you ought to speak more correctly than
that."
"Excuse me, but we've fed hundreds and thou-
sands of people, and that's more than any of the
rest of you can saj^, even if you don't like my grammar."
"Mercy!" cried a Tomato, running in. "Did you
forget me?" He was dressed in a bright red, and
Bouncing Bet and Her Friends
239
wore a tiny yellow cap trimmed with green. "I
belong to the Night Shade family, too, and I have
fed hundreds and hundreds of people."
''Oh, you Love Apple!" broke in Potato. "Your
relatives haven't fed people as long as mine have."
''That must be so," said Mary Frances. "I re-
member that my grandma told me that when her
mother was young, tomatoes were called love apples,
and were thought to be poisonous. Grand-mothers
raised them in their gardens, though, because they
were pretty."
"Poisonous!" Tomato's face turned redder than
ever. "Poisonous! Well, I should say! But then,
you know how good we are, and that we are excel-
lent for people who eat too much meat."
"Indeed we do know, don't we, Mary Frances?
We have some of you in our lunch basket," laughed
Eleanor. "Mary Frances has a lot of j^ou growing
in her garden, too."
"Has she any of my brothers and sisters growing
in her garden?" asked a new voice.
The girls saw the funniest, fattest brown fellow
waddling alon^'.
^,^^^w
240
The Mary Frances Garden Book
"Hello, Humpty Dumpty!" cried out Tomato.
''Nonsense/' declared the new-comer, ''I'm not
Humpty Dumpty! I can prove it; I can fall and
you can pick me up again. See?"
With that, over he went, smash!
The other Night Shade people all ran to help him up.
"How's that, young ladies?" said he when they
had set him on his tiny legs. "Doesn't that prove
I'm not an egg? Humpty Dumpty, indeed!"
"Oh, you Egg Plant!'' cried Potato. "Welcome,
cousin. You're another useful member of the Night
Shade family."
"Perhaps 'you-all' don't like me as well as those
other Night Shades, but some folks do."
"Who's that?" asked Eleanor.
"It looks like Lucinda Marguerite, my colored
J. ^.^^ -y^ paper doll," replied Mary Frances, laughing.
vvS^t"^^^ -^^ wonder she thought so, for the owner of the
new voice looked like a little darky, dressed in green,
with a long-pointed white cap.
"Some folkses likes me bettah than food," went
on the speaker. "You can just put that in your pipe
^>j«W^^ smoke it!"
Bouncing Bet and Her Friends
241
^^ Tobacco!'' guessed Mary Frances.
''Oh, how funny!" cried Eleanor, and they burst
into gales of laughter.
''I didn't know tobacco had such a pretty blos-
som," said Mary Frances, examining the pointed cap
more carefully.
"That will " Jack-in-the-Pulpit began.
''Wait a minute, wait a minute," cried a new
voice, and in danced a beautiful little lady, dressed
in a fluff y-ruffly skirt made of flower petals.
" Guess quickly," smiled Bouncing Bet. " Quickly!"
"Petunia/' guessed Eleanor. "We have them in
a windows-box at home."
"What a pretty member of the Night Shade
family," said Mary Frances.
"Fall in line," Jack commanded, leaning far out
of his pulpit, and pointing out a place w^here the
Night Shade family took their position.
i^wt4h---
i
is^iM^
W</(»^
"rip
CHAPTER XLl
Buttercup and Daisy Families
HE next family," announced Jack-in-the-
Pulpit, "will be the—
Buttercup Family
At the moment Bouncing Bet whistled, in danced
the family headed by little Buttercup.
''My name's little Buttercup," she sang.
You can imagine how lovely she looked dressed
in shiny yellow, trimmed with green.
Then she introduced the others:
"This is Columbine; this, Marsh Marigold; this
Larkspur,'' she said, "and this is Cowslip; and this,
Pwony.''
All the beautiful flowers bowed and smiled and
threw kisses as they danced to the place Bouncing
Bet pointed out to them.
"Aren't they lovely," murmured Mary Frances.
"I've always loved buttercups, but I hadn't any idea
there were so many beautiful members of their family."
[242]
^^6/^.
\-
,.t
X
Buttercup and Daisy Families
243
''Oh, there are many more," spoke Jack, ''but
our time is shortening, and as Daisy wants verj^ much
to greet you, I shall call for some members of the
very large —
SuNFLO\\^R Family (Composite Family)
vSuch a numbei- of flower people came dancing
and running in that it was difficult to see who was
Avho, with the exception ^of the big Sunflower who
led them.
"I'm Daisy,'' called a charming gold and white
flower fairy. "And I love everybody, no matter
whether everybody loves me or not."
"Oh, we love you!" shquted Mary Frances and
Eleanor. "You are a dear!"
"I hope you love all the Sunflower family," spoke
up a big Chrysanthemum.
"Oh, please love me!" "And me!" "And me!"
"And me!" begged Dahlia, and Goldenrod, and Aster,
and Cosnws.
"And me!" said the Bachelor's Button in a deep
masculine voice.
"And me!" repeated a dudish-looking Dande-
[i
244
The Mary Frances Garden Book
lion, at whose comical dress the girls couldn't help
smiling, for he was rigged up in the height of an
old-fashioned style, wath a high collar and a knotted
green tie; with ''pumps" on his feet — and he car-
ried a grass-blade cane!
"I know they love me!" There stood Black-eyed
Susan, with arms akimbo.
''We've loved you for years!" declared the girls.
"Here comes that Everlasting Flower f^' exclaimed
Dandelion.
"What a way to speak!" whispered Eleanor; but
the speech of Dandelion was soon explained w^hen a
crisp Strawflower, or "Everlasting," came stiffly in.
"Everlastingly late," said the new-comer drjiy,
"but nothing like so common as some flowers," glanc-
ing at Dandelion.
"Don't disgrace the family by quarreling," warned
the big Sunflower.
"It's so hard to keep such a big f amity straight,"
he said with a sigh, yet he went on proudly, "You
see, ours is the very largest flower family. There are
from 11,000 to 12,000 members of the Sunflow^er or
Composite Family.
v.^
:r7
>-
A
X
Buttercup and Daisy Families
245
^'I wonder how onany different kinds of plants
are know^n," said Mary Frances to Eleanor.
"About 120,000/^ answered Jack, who overheard
from his pulpit. ''I wish we could show you all the
different flower families, and tell you about them,
but as we haven't time, we will explain about just a
few more. Bet, will you begin?"
Then Bouncing Bet began to speak in her sweet
musical voice.
''The beans and peas you eat belong to the same
family as the clover. It is the Pulse family. The
cranberry and the honeysuckle and the rhodo-
dendron and trailing arbutus are of the Heath
family."
"And may I ask," interrupted Mary Frances,
"to what family you belong?"
"And Jack?" added Eleanor, eagerly.
"Thank you for the questions, dear children,"
smiled the delighted little fairy. "I will tell you:
Jack-in-the-Pulpit belongs to the Arum family. Calla
lily and "
Here the fairy looked at him and giggled. "Shall
I tell them. Jack?" she asked.
./-•
M
M
Xi
g-
A \
\ -^ /
u
//
246
The Mary Frances Garden Book
"Go ahead," replied Jack a little grimly. ^' Maybe
they better hold their noses ^^•hile you mention that
other member of my family," he suggested.
"Well, the beautiful white calla lily and —
and — " Bet hesitated.
"Say on," said Jack, "or I'll tell, myself."
"Well, Skunk Cabbage, then," said Bouncing Bet,
"Calla Lily and Skunk Cabbage belong to Jack-in-
the-Pulpit's family."
"Mercy!" Mary Frances exclaimed before she
knew it.
"Oh," gasped Eleanor.
"I beg your pardon — indeed, I do!" said Mary
Frances to Jack.
"Oh, never mind," he replied, "I must say we
are not very proud of that branch of the famil}-,
but they have one thing about them which is very
interesting. They are the very first flowers in the
Spring — oftentimes blooming in February. There
are other members of the Aimm family, though, of
which we are prouder."
"He'll tell you about them later," smiled Bounc-
ing Bet.
•zz=r
14^^]
'(I:
i^;^&^
.vl
Buttercup and Daisy Families
247
"Your family isn't the same as his, then?" queried
Eleanor.
"No," she replied, "I belong to the Pink family."
"Oh," asked Mary Frances, "are all your familj'
pink in color?"
"Oh, no," Jack answered her. "She's all dressed
up in her Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes. She just
borrowed that 'queen's lace' gown. Queen's lace
belongs to Wild Carrot, you know, and Wild Carrot
belongs to the Parsley famil}^ Run, Bet, and take off
your party clothes. Dress in your own clothes; then
they'll recognize you."
Bet bounced away, laughing, and returned almost
immediately in her e very-day dress of — you know,
calico-and-gingham-likc petals.
"Now we know you. Miss Bet," cried Mary
Frances; "but even your every-day dress is light
pink! Are you sure all your family doesn't wear
pink all the time?"
"Oh, no," answered Bouncing Bet, "you'll soon
see that that is not the case when I mention my
cultivated cousin. Carnation; and another cousin.
Sweet William.''
in-
248
The Mary Frances Garden Book
"And you'll be glad to know also," laughed Jack,
'Hhat among her relatives is Dusty Miller.''^
''Now, Jack," laughed Bet, ''that's an old joke
of yours! Please go on and tell something about
some other members of your own family.
CHAPTER XLII
Water Babies
JACK cleared his throat and began:
''Well, I don't want to seem to be too proud
or conceited, but to me it is quite a pleasant
thing to think that the roots of Jack-in-the-Pulpit,
or Indian Turnip, which is my other name, have been
used as a medicine many a time; and that the roots
of my cousin Calamus, or Sweet Flag, are valuable
as a tonic. Some of the Arum family like dry
soil and some like damp, marshy places. I do
not like very dry places m.yself, and Cousin Calamus
Sweet Flag likes his feet wet all the time."
"Isn't it wonderful," Mary Frances leaned for-
ward in her interest. "Isn't it wonderful, how plants
growing side by side are so different?"
"They eat the same things, yet are so different,"
smiled Bouncing Bet. "For instance, isn't it surpris-
ing that an onion and a lily may grow side by side?
By the way, the Onion and Lily-of-the-V alley and Tiger
Lily and Day Lily, and Hyacinth, and Dog-toothed
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Violet, and Solomon's Seal, and, yes, Asparagus, all
belong to the same family."
"Oh," murmured the girls, '4o think that the
onion and the lovely Lily-of-the- Valley are cousins
and belong to the same family!"
"Yes, and Onion is cousin of Easter Lily, and Tulip
too," Bet added.
''What about Water Lihes?" asked one of the girls.
''Now," answered Bouncing Bet, "you've men-
tioned another member of the same family as the
onion, for by this time, no doubt, you have guessed
that I am naming members of the Lily family. Water
Lily is one of their greatest beauties. How she ever
manages to be so fragrant, so lovely, living in mire
and slime, only her Maker knows. She is our dearest
Water Baby.''
"Oh, please tell us of more W^ater Babies," begged
the girls.
"There's a whole family of big water babies, that
you know well," Jack broke in. "That is the Cat-
tail iamily.^'
"How interesting!" cried Mary Frances. "I
thought cats didn't like water."
Water Babies
Just then the silvery bell of the fairy clock struck
the half-hour and Jack turned toward all the fairy
flower folks who were present.
"Time's up! Thank you, kind friends," said he,
"and now, after a dance, you may go."
With that, the sweetest music the girls had ever
heard began to play, and the fairies began to dance,
keeping time perfectly with their tiny feet.
"I'm afraid it's a dream, and that I'll wake up,"
whispered J^leanor to Mary Frances.
"So am I!" Mary Frances whispered back, and
took hold of her little friend's hand.
Suddenly the music stopped and every fairy except
Jack and Bet disappeared.
"It was so beautiful," said Mary Frances, still
speaking in a whisper, "that we can never thank
you."
"We're so glad you enjoyed our little surprise,"
Jack replied, "for it shows how you love us flowers.
Now I want to tell you something about the way in
which we grow, and how to feed us. You have a
garden, and I feel certain you would like to hear
about that."
The Mary Frances Garden Book
"I've studied quite a little about seed-babies,"
replied Mary Frances. ''I love the little things
dearly."
Good," cried Bet; ''you'll love them even
more after you've heard what Jack is going to tell
''Do water babies grow in the same way as other
plant babies?" asked Mary Frances.
"In quite the same way," replied Jack. "I'm
going to show you how the roots of plants take up
the food needed, and how the leaves help make that
food right for their digestion."
"Why, I thought — " began Eleanor.
"Yes?" asked Jack, expectantly.
"I thought that plants breathed with their leaves."
"Well, they do breathe with their leaves too, but
they also breathe with their stem surface; or, in trees,
with the surface of the trunk. In fact, they breathe
all over."
"I know," said Eleanor, "that I've been taught
to wash the leaves of house plants in order that
the leaves might get air."
"Very wise, indeed," said Jack. "Air is very,
Water Babies
very important to the leaves, as you will see when
I have told you about their way of growing."
Just then he took a tiny silver bugle from his
shoulder and blew a long note.
Four little elves appeared. Thej^ were dressed
in light brown and dark brown leaves. On their
headS; each Avore a cap of a different color. One was
red; one was j^ellow; one, tan; and one, pink. They
airstood^^ attention," looking at Jack.
'^ Bring in the magic tree," said Jack, and off ran
the elves.
In a moment they returned, half carrying and half
dragging a plant which looked like a tiny tree. It
was growing in a glass tub, which, although small,
seemed a heavy burden for the little fellows.
''Oh!" Mary Frances sprang up. ''Oh, please,
let me help," she begged as she stooped down to
take it.
"Better not, better not," warned Jack. "That
is a fairy tub and will go to pieces if you touch
it."
Byjthat time the little elves had it in place, and
they smiled their thanks to Mary Frances as they
The Mary Frances Garden Book
wiped the perspiration from their foreheads with tiny
handkerchiefs made of colored Autumn leaves.
Jack jumped down from his pulpit.
That will do, attendants," he said. '^ Thank
you," and the little elves ran away.
"We have here/' he continued, ''a fair}' view of the
way in which plants grow. Come, Bet!"
With that, both the little fairies sprang to the top
of the tub, and a wonderful thing happened.
The tub and the tree began to grow so fast that
before you could count three, they were as high as the
girls' knees, and before you could count seven, the top
of the tree was even with Eleanor's head.
''That's tall enough, tree," cried Jack, and both
tub and tree stopped growing.
''Can you see, young ladies," he asked as he bent
over the side; "can you see the roots of the magic
.tree through the glass?"
The girls could see them plainly.
"Did you notice how they pushed their way
through the stones and pieces of, rock, and even moved
them aS' they grew!"
"I did!" answered each of the girls.
Water Babies
^'I thouglit il wonderful,'' continued Miiry Frances,
^'but I supposed it was a fairy way of growing."
''No," Jack shook his head; ''that is the way all
plants grow, whether small or large, only they groAv
slowly. Notice the smallest roots. They are hol-
low and have very thin delicate coverings."
"You will see why in a minute," he went on, ''but
now I wish to call your attention to something else.
In between the stones and sand you will notice decaying
leaves and "
"Humus!" cried Mary Frances jumping up
excitement.
" Good ! " he said . ' ' Humus soup is what the plants
eat. The tiny roots draw it up through their thin
walls. In the humus soup is not only decaying vege-
table matter, but very tiny bits of mineral matter, too
— like pepper and salt for the plant, maybe."
The girls laughed.
"Listen!" he went on earnestly; "for any plant
to produce one pound of dry matter, the roots must
take up from 300 to 500 pounds of water."
"Oh, now, I see why plants must have water,"
said Mary Frances. "Now, I understand why it is
The Mary Frances Garden Book
so necessary to cultivate — to hold the moisture in the
ground."
"To make humus soup," Eleanor added.
''Fine!" cried Jack, rubbing his tiny hands in glee.
''It's splendid to teach such interested persons. It
took human beings many, many years to find these
things out. If only their eyes and ears had been open
to us fairy folks, it wouldn't have taken so long."
"Now, human people, in growing garden plants,
want to give them the best kinds of food," he con-
tinued. "So, after studying to find out what is in the
soil that plants need most, they have gathered those
things together from various places, and have made
Commercial Fertilizers.
"They are to be had in a powdered form, and are
very concentrated plant food. Nothing is better to
use, however, than barnyard manures."
"One of the best commercial fertilizers is Nitrate
of Soda." (See Chapter LVIII entitled, "Some Hints
on Growing Vegetables.")
"W
CHAPTER XLIII
How Plants Grow
'HAT becomes, please, of the humus soup
after the plant roots take it up?" asked
Mary Frances thoughtfully.
"It's a wonderful story," Bouncing Bet spoke in
her sweet voice. ^'You see, the plant food soup is
carried up into the larger roots, into the sapwood of
the tree, into the branches and into the leaves ; and the
leaves "
''Give us shade!" Eleanor did not realize that she
had interrupted.
"They do," smiled Bet. ''But that is not their
work."
"Oh, do leaves work?" Eleanor was surprised.
"They work very, very hard," Bet rephed. "They
do such wonderful work that a leaf has been called a
leaf factory, or a leaf -mill."
"You think that leaves do not resemble the fac-
tories or mills you have seen," went on the fairy. "It
is not in appearance that they resemble mills and
j^Zl!^^^
^ — *^t^:^^
258
The Mary Frances Garden Book
mi
li
factories, but in the work they do; for they manu-
facture starch. I suppose there is really no starch in
the whole world that leaves have not made."
"Oh," exclaimed Mary Frances; ''even the starch
in our dresses — is that made by leaves?"
''Yes," Bet smiled, "even that; and the starch in
your bread and the "
"Tell them the story, Bet," said Jack, who was
much interested.
"All right," answered the little fairy, turning to
pick a leaf from the magic tree. "Please do not inter-
rupt, and I will tell you about —
The Leaf-Mill
Nothing can grow without the right kind of food.
Plants cannot use the "plant-food soup," just as it is taken
up by the roots, to make new growth.
The leaves must first turn the liquid food into fttarch, which
is the right kind of food for the plant.
A leaf has Ijeen called a leaf-mill, because it has many tin\'
grinding stones.
These tiny grinding stones arc the green grains in the cells
which form the leaf. They are called chlor-o-'phyll bodies.
The leaf -mill grinding stones are turned by sunshine power.
Without sunshine they cannot work.
r
>^£^
^1
How Plants Grow
259
By the leaf-mill grinding stones, a gas from the air (carbonic
acid gas) is mixed with the plant food soup sent up by the plant's
roots, and starch is formed.
While doing the work of manufacturing starch, the leaf-mill
throws off into the air another gas, called oxj^gen. Oxygen is
needed by all animals; carbonic acid gas (or carbon dioxide) is
needed by all plants whose leaves make starch.
But even the starch must be changed before the plant can
use it to make new growth. It must be made into sugar!
So the leaves act as stomachs, and digest the starch they
have made for the plant's use. In them, in some wonderful way,
the starch is changed into sugar, and some mineral matter from
the humus soup is mixed with the sugar. This combination forms
a perfect food, ready for the plant to make into new growth.
''Isn't it a wonderful story?'' asked Bouncing Bet,
as she finished speaking.
''It's the most surprising garden story I've yet
heard," declared Mary Frances.
"I'll never, never think of leaves again as just
'for shade,' " declared Eleanor. "But I'm glad they
do give shade," she added.
"Trees give a great deal of shade," said Bet,
"because they expose as large a surface of leaves as
possible to the sun. On a large tree, nearly half
^^
260
The Mary Frances Garden Book
an acre of leaf surface may be in the sunlight at
once."
''And the sunlight turns the grinding-stones of the
leaf -mill," said Mary Frances softly.
''And they make food for the tree," Eleanor
whispered.
"Sometimes a plant does not need for immediate
use all the food the leaves have made," Bet con-
tinued, "so it stores it awaj^ for future use: some-
times, in roots; sometimes, in leaves; sometimes
in other parts of the plant — as in the grains of
wheat."
"I wonder how the storage places look," said
Eleanor.
Bet laughed. "You've often seen some of them,"
she said. "When you eat turnips and beets, you are
eating the food stored in the roots of these plants.
When you use onions, you are using food stored in
leaves."
Mary Frances thought the fairy had made a mis-
take, and Bet seemed to read her thought.
"Oh, no," she laughed, "Em not mistaken. You
see, the bulb of the onion is made up of the thickened
How Plants Grow
lower ends of the leaves, the top green parts of which
have dried off."
'^It is interesting," she went on, 'Ho see how quickly
the plants which have stored food begin to grow when
put into the warm place. It is because of this fact
that bulbous flowers are the first to bloom in the
Spring. They do not have to make food to begin to
grow, for their food is ready for use, and just a little
warmth and moisture will start them."
^'Oh, I see why crocuses, and hyacinths, and
tulips bloom so early," said Mary Frances.
''Yes," nodded Bet, "and it is an interesting
experiment to make a carrot hanging basket. Cut
the top off a large carrot and scoop out a hollow.
Fill the hollow with water, and hang the carrot in a
warm room. The beautiful green leaves will soon
grow, using the material stored in the root for food."
Just at this point. Jack stepped forward.
"Fm sorry," said he, "to interrupt such an inter-
esting lesson, but as we have so little time, by your
leave, Bet, I will commence my story about some of
our most peculiar relatives — if the young ladies would
njoy hearing about them."
CHAPTER XLIV
A Wicked Innkeeper
NDEED, we would enjoy hearing about them,"
declared both the girls.
''Before I begin to tell you about our pecu-
liar relatives, some of which kill, some of which
steal "
"Oh!" gasped Eleanor.
''Oh!" muttered Mary Frances.
Just at that moment out of the bushes ran the
tiniest, littlest bit of a dog that ever lived.
At first the girls didn't see him, he was so small.
He ran right to Jack, and put a tiny bit of paper
in his hand.
"For pity's sake, Bet," Jack exclaimed, "I forgot
to send back the magic tree and here's the Queen's
messenger with a command from Her Majesty! Oh,
oh, oh!"
Will it be all right if he sends it back imme-
diately?" Bet asked of the tiny dog, whose head she
was patting.
A Wicked Innkeeper
263
The dog wagged his tiny tail and stood on his hind
legs. Bet bent her ear to his mouth.
"It will be all right/' she said aloud, "if you return
it this minute."
"Attendants!" shouted Jack. "Attendants!"
Out ran the tiny elves.
"Take back the magic tree!" commanded Jack,
"and apologize to Her Majesty for keeping it over
time."
He took a little box out of his pocket. Opening it,
he shook out a shining powder, and before the girls
could see how it came about, the tin}^ tree just as they
first saw it, growing in the little tub, was before them.
The elves sprang to its sides. The little dog ran on
before; and elves, dog and tree vanished from sight.
"I wouldn't have had it late for anj^thing!" Jack
spoke sadly.
"You were teaching us so kindly," said Mary
Frances; "that was the reason you forgot. Oh, I'm
so sorry."
"If you appreciate my lesson so much," Jack
said, smiling, "the Queen won't mind at all."
"How glad we are!" cried the girls.
The Mary Frances Garden Book
/STOPAf
IinnV
''And now," Jack went on happily, as Bet danced
around; ''now, I will begin a story about one
cousin —
A Wicked Innkeeper
As you know, plants hang out signs to attract Mrs. Bee and
Mrs. Butterfly and other insects to the feast they have spread — the
pollen and the nectar feast. The signs are the attractive colors
of the flowers.
One flower that hangs out a very pretty Uttle white sign is the
Sundew. The sign seems to say to the passing fly or gnat, " Come,
rest upon one of my pretty, sparkling leaves, and take a meal at
my pretty white blossom-table. Stop at Sundew Inn."
The little fly is charmed with the cordial invitation, and lights
doAvn upon one of the leaves which ghsten all day with a substance
that looks like dew.
In a moment, he knows his mistake, for the sparkling drops
are a sticky fluid which holds the little fellow fast, and the tiny
hairs on the leaf's surface bite him like so many mosquitoes!
The leaf rolls up a little, and more of the sticky fluid pours
upon him. It is the digestive fluid of the plant. The wicked
Sundew Innkeeper is eating up his guest!
"Just like the Spider and Fly in the old story,"
said Mary Frances, repeating the lines:
lt=B
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ti
t.
fer"
im
!:x2Jl
A Wicked Innkeeper
265
'' 'Will you walk into my parlor?'
Said the spider to the fly,
"Tis the prettiest little parlor
That ever you did spy.' "
''Exactly!" agreed Jack. "The sundew invites
the fly for the same reason that the spider does —
because it needs it for food."
"Oh," shuddered Eleanor, "do plants eat animals?"
"Not if they can help it," repHed Jack. "Many,
many years ago, when the sundew's great-great-great-
great-grandparents were unable to find the kind of food
they needed, they developed this method of getting
nitrogenous food, to keep from starving."
"Oh, I see," said Mary Frances, looking wise.
"Is the sundew the only plant which eats insects?"
asked Eleanor; "and does it grow around here?"
"It grows in every section of this country," replied
Jack, "and also in Europe and Asia."
"The Pitcher Plant, which is found in soggy
marshes, eats insects, too," he went on; "only it
manages in a different way. Its leaves are shapofl
like vases or pitchers, and are usually half filled with
mm
26(3
The Mary Frances Garden Book
water; its flowers are reddish purple in color, easily
deceiving the flies into thinking they are meat. The
insects are attracted also by the sweet fluid, which is
on the edge of the 'pitcher,' and crawl or slide down
the slippery hairs which line the upper part.
''Once down, the bristly hairs prevent them from
climbing back, and they are drowned in the water.
The plant eats the soup which their bodies make.
The form of Pitcher Plant which grows in the western
states has vases large enough to drown small birds
and field mice."
"It isn't a pretty story," commented Marj^
Frances.
''Not a bit," agreed Eleanor.
"It would make us ashamed, wouldn't it, Jack,"
Bouncing Bet was speaking, "if anybody but Mother
Nature had invented that way of keeping things
"She must have had good reason," replied Jack.
"S
CHAPTER XLV
Uninvited Gui^sts
,0 much, then, for the disrespectable murderer
branch of the family," he continued. "No\\
I will tell j'^ou about some of our thi(?ves.
We don't appi'ove of them any more than you would
approve of a cousin who turned out to be a thief, but —
well, I shall begin by telling you about —
Dodder
No plant would invite such a miserable pauper as a visitor.
It's worse than any beggar you have ever known, for a beggar at
least digests his own food.
Not so with dodder. It is too lazy to do even that ! 1 1 has
therefore, no leaves. It doesn't need them. It starts out as an
honest plant baby, but soon "goes wrong," reaching out long
tendrils by which it takes hold of any convenient plant neighlx)r.
It sends little leg-lilce suckers down into the stem of this plant
neighbor. It lets go of the earth Avith its roots, and drinks the
life-blood, or sap, of its host, the plant on which it has seized
hold.
The disgracefully lazy dodder does no work at all except to
make flowers and seeds. The flowers are tiny, star-shaped, of a
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yellowish, greenish or white color, and each flower makes four
seeds to go on to make more thieving plant babies!
''Isn't it disgraceful!" exclaimed Bet. "Jack and
I never want to associate with plants that murder
and steal "
"Not if we can help it," said Jack, "we don't."
"You'll be sorry," he went on, "to learn that
Indian pipes, too, are uninvited guests, living on food
in other plant roots."
"Oh," said Mary Frances regretfully, "I always
thought them so pretty!"
"Well, they are pretty, and dodder, even, is pretty
in a way, because of its yellow color, but both are —
Parasite Plants
Parasite means "eating at another's table."
Parasite plants are those which fasten upon other plants and
steal their food.
Real parasite plants lack all green color, for since they steal
food already digested, what need have they for green matter
(chlor-o-phyll) by means of which a plant digests its food?
There are also some half parasites, which, while living partially
upon stolen food, get some food for themselves.
Uninvited Guests
The pretty waxy Christmas mistletoe is a half parasite.
You notice that it has some green coloring or chlor-o-phyll, which
it uses to digest the nourishment it gathers from the air.
''My/' exclaimed Eleanor, ''I'm glad it doesn't
steal all its food. That shows it's trying to help itself.
It isn't such a 'piggy' as some plants!"
"Oh, not every parasite plant destroys the plant
whose food it takes. Not very long ago, human
beings found out that the very tiny parasite plants
which fasten themselves to peas and beans and
other similar plants (called Legumens) are very bene-
ficial to them. They do steal some predigested food,
but in return they give to them a much more valuable
food, which they have taken from the air. This valu-
able food is nitrogen.
For this reason, these parasitic plants, or nitro-
germs, have been gathered and grown, and are now sold
under the name of 'Cultures for Legumens.' When
applied to peas, beans, clover, etc., they cause them to
grow very rapidly, and give very abundant crops."
"How wonderful!" said Mary Frances.
Just then the fairy clock chimed four.
CHAPTER XLVI
How Seed Babies Travel
|OME/' cried Bouncing Bet. ''Now, I am
going to tell you a wonderful, true fairy
story. You never realized, did you, that
l)lants travel? I mean that they travel without the
help of human beings."
"No," the girls shook their heads.
''You can't deny that they spread from place to
place, can you?" asked Bet.
"Indeed, I can't," said Mary Frances; "the
dandelions have spread all over our land within a
short time."
"And I'll tell you how they did it," Bet went on.
"But first I'U tell you—
Why Plants Travel
If the seeds of a plant always fell on ground nearbj', the space
would soon become choked up, and the new seed babies would
have no chance to live; so. many plants have been provided means
of sending their seed babies a long distance from the mother
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How Seed Babies Travel
271
plant, and in this way they have spread or traveled from place to '
place, until some cover very large areas.
How Plants Travel
Seed Pods with Burry Coats
Did you ever think, when you pick ''beggar lice" and "sand
ourrs" off your clothing and throw them down on the ground, that
you are helping the plant mother do just what she Avanted you to
do with her seed baby?
She put "stickers" all over the coat of her seed baby so that
it might catch hold of your dress, or of the fur of your doggie, or
3^our cow, and be dropped in a new place where the seed baby
could grow with better chances than at home near her.
When you make burr baskets out of the sticky burdock
seeds, unless you burn them, you are helping the burdocks to
travel.
Pods which Shoot Seeds
The mother plants of the "spider plant," and of the pansy,
and of the violet send their seed babies to new homes by using
seed pods which burst open and shoot the seeds far and wide in
all directions.
Tumble Weeds
Some mother plants actually carry their seed babies to new
places.
The "tumble weeds" of the West dry up in Autumn, and are
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
broken off near the roots by the wind, which carries them along
over field and meadow; and everywhere they go, they are dropping
seed babies in new places. If you watch them as they tumble
about you will feel like laughing at their comical appearance.
Now we have come to the fairy seed babies, the —
Seed Babies with Wings
You've seen them often — seed babies flying about on the
wings which their plant-mother gave them. Sometimes you have
helped them start to fly.
Oh, yes, you have.
Don't you remember when you pulled the fluffy head off a
dandelion, and blew it to "see what time it was?"
Of course you didn't know it, but you sent scores of dandelion
seed babies floating off in the air on their fau-y wings. Perhaps
the wind took one up where you left off blowing, and landed it such
a distance away from its old home that it might have seemed like
hundreds of miles to the little thing.
Milk-weed seed babies fastened to their beautiful silky down,
which is so light it floats along like a fairy's feather, actually
travel on the "wings of the wind."
Some trees, too, give their seed babies wdngs. Haven't the
winged seeds of the maple fooled you into thinking they were
birds or insects of some kind? It has amused you, too, to notice
how far the wings of these seed babies have carried them on the
wind.
How Seed Babies Travel
''Haven't the plant mothers provided wonderfully
for their seed babies' welfare!" exclaimed Mary Frances.
"Yes," replied Bet; ''back of the plant mother is
another mother — Mother Nature. Oh, but she is
wise!"
"M'
CHAPTER XLVII
Have a Seat on a Toad Stool
OTHER NATURE has taught plant moth-
ers many secrets as to how to take care
of their babies," Bet continued, ^'but per-
haps her most amusing trick is the wrapping of certain
seed babies in seed cases which look like worms or
bugs. Did you ever notice the seeds of the castor
oil plant?"
''They look exactly like bugs!'' Mary Frances
exclaimed,
''Almost," Bet nodded; ''probably to make some
bird think it's going to have a fine meal. When the
seed has been carried a little distance, the bird will
discover its mistake, and drop the seed baby in a
new home."
"What a cunning trick!" exclaimed Eleanor.
"Isn't it!" said Mary Frances. "I remember now,
that I once saw on a plant what I thought was a worm,
and when I tried to brush it off, it burst open, letting
tlie seeds scatter about."
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275
"I Avonder if that wasn't this plant?" Bet asked as
>shc held up a dried flower h(^ad, out of which a worm
seemed to be crawhng.
''That's it!" cried Mary Frances. ''What is the
plant called, please?"
"It has a very long name," Bouncing Bet replied;
"too long for you to remember, I fear; but it means a
'coiled worm,' and shows how perfectly one plant
mother has performed this comical trick."
"I suspect all plant mothers have some trick,"
Mary Frances ventured.
"That leads me to tell you about one kind of plants
we've not yet mentioned.
They are the—
f%
Plants without Flowers
If plants have no flowers, jou will ask, how can tlie new l)al)y
plants grow? Can there be seed babies without flowers?
No, flowerless plants do not bear seeds, but they do ha\-e
plant babies, other^^^sc we would not have ferns, mushrooms, and
many other important plants.
The plant babies of flowerless plants come from spores, not
seeds.
Did you ever gather Christmas ferns? They are the ones
/
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
which cheer you so with their beautiful green color in the woods
when so many other things are asleep in winter.
On the back of the fern leaves, perhaps you have noticed
little bro\vn rusty-looking spots.
In these spots or spore-cases are the spores. When the spore
cases are ripe, they burst open and throw out the spores which
look like a fine dust.
Each grain of this dust must live in a moist, warm place,
and pass through several changes before a baby fern can grow.
Mosses grow in a similar way. So, also, do —
Mushrooms or Toad Stools
Mushrooms are flowerless plants, and they do not grow from
seeds, but from spores.
The spores fall from the pretty gills on the under side of the
imibrella part of the plant.
Of course, since they have no green color, j'ou know that
mushrooms do not make their own food. They, like most other —
Fungi,
live on dead vegetable matter.
Mushrooms grow b}^ means of thread-like feeders which they
send down into the dead material which they use.
It is a good thing that fungi use dead trees and leaves and
other dead matter for food; otherwise, these things would keep on
piling up!
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Have a Seat on a Toad Stool
277
I wish to tell you of one kind of fungus, though, which lives
on living matsrial in trees. It is called the —
Bracket Fungus
Perhaps you have thought the bracket-Uke shelves you have
seen on some tree, pretty.
You did not know, then, that some spores of the bracket
fungi had fastened into a wound in the bark, and had sent long
threads down into the living part of the tree.
The poor tree cannot help itself, and after a while it will die
of starvation because the bracket fungi have used up all its food
material.
So do be careful never to injure the bark of a tree; for wherever
it is torn, it leaves an open wound — just as when you scratch your
finger or your arm.
There are other fungi which you've seen oftener than toad
stools. They are —
Molds
You've often see the mold which comes on bread which has
been left in a rather dark, warm, moist place.
The mold comes from the thousands of germs in the dust in
air. These germs settle down and use anything possible for food,
and send out spore-dust to make more germs.
While they are growing and making spore cases, they appear
as molds and mildews.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
The germs in the dust are too tiny to be seen without a
microscope, and their near relatives —
Bacteria
are about the tiniest of living things.
They grow everywhere. Some do us harm and some benefit
us wonderfull}'.
Cheese is made out of milk by one of the good kind ; an-
other kind makes vinegar; some other kinds fasten themselves
to the inside of our mouths and bodies, bringing disease, like
typhoid, fever and consmnption.
When we keep our bodies and mouths and teeth clean, we
help our blood to destroy such bad bacteria.
Sunlight destroys bad germs.
Fresh air destroys bad germs. You should have plenty of
fresh air both day and night.
''Pshaw/' said Jack, as Bet finished speaking;
"toad stools are meant for fairies to sit on, and mush-
looms for human beings to eat. What kind of non-
sense are you trying to teach, anj^how, Bet?"
The girls laughed, for they saw Jack wink as he
spoke.
"Come," said he, "you've been standing too long —
come, have a seat on a toad stool?"
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Have a Seat on a Toad Stool
279
With that' he ran toward a beautiful white mush-
room, and Bet followed.
When they were seated, Mary Frances asked:
''What is the difference between a mushroom and a
toad stool?"
''Well/' Jack rephcd, "I guess there isn't really
any difference, although some people think that toad
stools, if eaten, poison people and that mushrooms are
harmless, but some mushrooms are very poisonous, so
do not try to use any you gather, unless some grown
people know them to be harmless, for some of the most
beautiful would kill you the most quickly."
"I've eaten mushrooms," said Eleanor, "but they
were canned ones."
"Oh, they are safe enough," Bet smiled.
Then the fairj' clock struck the half-hour.
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CHAPTER XLVIII
Some Ways to Rid of Weeds
"^■-^OUR-THIRTY!" exclaimed Jack, ''and we
have only until five o'clock."
"My, 3'ou'll have to talk fast/' said
Bouncing Bet, ''in order to tell all you want to."
"One quarter of all I want to, you mean, Bet,"
Jack rephed.
"I'm afraid my brother and father and mother
will come look for us," said Mary Frances.
"No," Bet shook her head, "not until five o'clock."
"I suppose fairies know," Eleanor whispered.
Jack began to talk rapidly:
Weeds
To the little plant baby which you love and wish to grow,
Aveeds are like terribly hungry beasts who steal their food, and
choke them to death, and say:
"Get out of here! I'm a piggy-wig, and I want everything
myself!"
So unless you want your favorite plants to die, you will kill
tlie weeds in your garden.
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281
Even if some of your plants do live through the fight, thoy
are weak and poor from the lack of food, and the hard work they
have been through.
Someone has said that weeds are plants that are not wanted,
and people often find that the less they are wanted, the harder it is
to get rid of them.
You see, most weeds have grown in spite of everything, and
have accommodated themselves to such unpleasant surroundings
that when they find themselves in splendid surroundings, as in
your garden soil, they begin to grow 'with a vengeance.' "
''I know!" Mary Frances laughed.
"Well, we fairy folk want to help you as much
as possible with your garden. I am going to tell you
about —
Some Ways to Rid of Weeds
Of course, one of the best ways is to pull the Avecds, never
allowing them to go to seed. That's best for annual kinds.
But the perennial kind must have the roots destroyed, so
deep digging or ploughing in the Fall is a great help.
Cleaning ofT the growth and burning it in the Fall kills many
seeds which might "winter over," and come up in the Spring.
Salt is often used to kill grass in paths and garden walks.
Some of the commonest weeds found in the garden are —
Lamh's-quarters, or Pigweed, which is usually very unwelcome
in the garden, but which some people use for "greens."
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The Mary P'rances Garden Book
/C<»
Roman
wormwooi)
Roman Wormwood, or Hog-
weed, which, from its name, you
can see is troublesome every-
where.
Beggai'-ticks, or Stick tights.
I guess you know them —
Their seed babies, I mean.
Didn't you get them all over
your dresses and stockings one
day in the woods?
>Smartweed and Knoiweed and
Lad if s Thumb all resemble each
other in appearance.
Plantam and IM Talis ^^^^'^^^^r-tickb
(Rib Grass, Engli.sh Plantain) are cousins in the same
family.
Pepper Grasa and Shepherd's Purse are cousins, too, antl both
belong to the Mustard family. You've often eaten pepper grass
seeds, haven't you?
Field Laurel, or Sour Grass, has leaves with a pleasantly
sour flavor.
"Excuse me/' said Mary Frances, as Jack paused,
"but you didn't mention that if you 'cultivate' 3'our
garden, it will kill Aveeds."
"I'm so glad you said that!" Jack replied. "It is
Some Ways to Rid of Weeds
283
the best way to keep weeds out of your garden; hut
I was speaking of where they had 'gotten a
start.' ''
''They're hard to pull sometimes," remarked Elea-
nor. "I'll tell you how I know. We have just the
tiniest lawn, and father gives me an ice-cream cone for
pulHng five cents' worth of weeds."
"Isn't that lovely of him!" Jack exclaimed.
"Sometimes," he went on, "it is not only for the
sake of the plants you want to have grow^ that you
destroy the weeds, but to protect yourself. For
instance, you wish to kill out all poisonous plants;
such as—
Poison Ivy
The leiiv(\s of poison ivy, if touched, will provoke a painful,
poisonous rash on the skin of most
people. This is caused by the irritating,
acrid juice in the leaves. This juice
probably protects the plant — for in-
stance, no cattle will enjoy eating it.
Thousands of cases of ivy poison
could be avoided if everyone knew the
plant.
Remember, the poison ivy
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
M'
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has three leaves on a stem, while its harmless and beautiful
cousin, Virginia Creeper, which resembles it so much, has five
leaves on a stem.
Jack stepped forward and showed the girls the
difference in the leaves, just as they are pictured here.
They examined them carefully.
'^I think I'll never mistake poison ivy for that
other plant," said Eleanor.
''I hope not/' Bet chimed in, ''for I am so fond
of—
Virginia Creeper
This plant is a native of America, growing everj'W'here from
Canada southward even to Cuba. It makes a charming decorative
vine on wall and fence.
It will soon repay one for the trouble of carrying a root home
from the woods, for it easily takes root in a new place, and every-
one is delighted with its magnificent brilliant red foliage in the
Autumn.
''That sounds like a book. Bet," exclaimed Jack.
"I think the most interesting thing about Virginia
Creeper is the tiny hand-like 'dingers' with which it
holds on to the wall or fence."
Some Ways to Rid of Weeds
285
''I was going to tell that, Mr. Jack," Bet replied;
"but, never mind, I want to tell about —
Some Ways in Which Plants Protect Themselves
You remcmb(>r that I told you that the "velvet" fur of the
great mullein keeps animals from eating the leaves?
Well, perhaps you've never thought of it, but the prickles
of the rose and blackberry and the thorns of some trees prevent
their being destroyed many and many a time.
''Indeed, I know," laughed Mary Frances. ''No
one will ever see me try to pick a wild cactus!"
"Or nettles?" asked Jack, pretending to pick
splinters from his hand.
"I hope your garden never has more weeds than
we saw when we were over there in the moonlight last
evening," he went on.
"Why, were you in my garden?" Mary Frances
was amazed.
"It looked splendid," beamed Bet.
"We will come often," Jack added, "and if we
never see more weeds than last evening, you'll be
growing wonderful vegetables and flowers."
Feather Flop — " Mary Frances began, then
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
H
CHAPTER XLIX
Queen's Lace Trims Well
''^ ^OW lovely that will be, Mary Frances!"
exclaimed Eleanor.
^'I shall come out some evening to see
you, dear fair}' folks," said Mary Frances, ''even if
you cannot talk with me. Maybe Eleanor will come,
too."
''I don't believe you'll know us when you see us.
I might come as Jack Frost," Jack answered.
''And I might seem a Luna moth," said Bouncing
Bet. "But you'll know we are interested and are
trying to help you."
"Come," said Jack, "we have a gift for j'ou.
Here is a package of wild flower seeds which we hope
3^ou will plant."
"Thank you, oh, thank you!" Both the girls were
delighted.
"There's only one condition with our gift; you
must never tell anyone about us! If you do, not a
seed Avill
288
The Mary Frances Garden Book
"Oh!" The tears came mto Mary Frances' eyes.
"Not Mother?" she asked.
"Would the Queen let them tell her mother?"
Jack turned to Bet.
"Yes," said Bet, "because her mother believes in
fairies."
"Indeed she does!" Mary Frances was enthusi-
astic. "She knows all about the Cooking People."
"Yes," both Bet and Jack nodded.
"The Thimble People."
They nodded again.
"And the Doll People."
The Queen of All Fairies sent them, you know,"
said Jack to Bet.
"Of course," Bet replied.
"Now for my party dress," she suddenly sang out,
and with "Excuse me!" ran away.
When she came back she was dressed in the queen's
lace gown, only it was more gorgeous than before, for
it sparkled with a thousand jewels.
She picked up her dainty pink skirt and began to
dance.
Isn't my dress pretty?" she asked.
Queen's Lace Trims Well
289
'^ Queen's lace trims well," she laughed. "Come,
Jack!" And together they danced in mid-air, tread-
ing on nothing.
'' Good-bye, dear girls," they sang. ''Good-bj-e,
little gardeners! Good luck! Remember the fairies
will be w^atching your gardens!"
Just then Mary Frances noticed a big soap bubble
floating toward the little dancers. Nearer and nearer
it came, and stopped in front of them.
Jack opened a door in the soap bubble, and in they
stepped.
"Good-bye," cried Bouncing Bet, as Jack closed
the door.
''Good-bye!" cried the girls. ''Good-bye, kind,
lovely fairy folks!"
Jack and Bet threw kisses to them until the bubble
floated out of sight over the tops of the trees.
Oh, Mary Frances," cried Eleanor after a short
silence. "Oh, it was the most wonderful thing that
ever happened to me!"
"Well, so this is where you girls were hiding!"
Billy's voice made both the girls jump. "My, you
290
The Mary Frances Garden Book
gave me a scare! Not a bit of lunch tasted, and not a
sign of you!"
''Oh, Billy," exclaimed Mary Frances, ''how you
startled me! How's Mother? Could she — could she
come?"
"Mother's all right," said Billy, "only Father
thought best for her not to try to come, and sent me
for you girls — Hello! I see you've been gathering
wild flowers."
He had spied the flowers that Jack and Bet had let
them gather. !
"Gee! aren't they beauties! Did you find them
near here? I don't wonder you forgot your lunch!"
"Oh, Billy — that reminds me — I'm awfully hun-
gry!" Mary Frances said, "and I imagine Eleanor
is, too."
I'm — I am hungry," Eleanor spoke as in a dream.
"Well, then, since there are no fairies to bring the
lunch baskets to us, let's go to the lunch baskets," said
Billy, picking up the bunches of flowers and leading
the way.
"You'll need a pail to put these flowers in water,"
he said.
Queen's Lace Trims Well
When he spoke of fairies, Mary Frances put her
fingers to her lips. Eleanor smiled and nodded.
^^ Let's spread supper!" said Billy.
"That will make us late getting home, I fear,"
Mary Frances parleyed.
''No, sir-ee!" Billy smiled, ''Father's going to
drive over for us!"
"Oh, isn't that fine!" cried the girls, opening the
baskets.
They ate as only hungry children can eat.
"Here comes Father — just in time for dessert,"
cried Billy suddenly, and all ran to meet him.
They reached home before dark, and were wel-
comed by a smiling mother.
"Our wuld flower picnic was a success after all,"
Mary Frances said, kissing her and giving her the
beautiful flowers.
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CHAPTER L
The Wild Flower Garden
THE girls were in Marj^ Frances' mother's room
whispering to her the story of their expe-
rience with Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Bouncing
Bet.
"Wasn't it wonderful?" Eleanor clapped her hands
softly. ''Oh, I am so glad I could share Mary Frances'
pleasure!"
''I am as glad as Eleanor/' Mary Frances said.
''I wish every girl and boy, too, could have seen and
heard what we did!"
''So do I, dear," said her mother. "Shall you
ask Billy to help you plant the seeds of the wild
flowers?" she asked.
"If you think, Mother dear, it wouldn't be a wrong
story to simply tell him that Ave got the seeds in the
woods?"
"I think that would be all right," replied her
mother.
"What about Eleanor's package?" asked Mary
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293
Frances. ^^ Shall she keep it until she goes home to
plant in her own garden?"
Her mother hesitated. "I may as well tell you,
girls. I have a wonderful surprise for you, myself."
'^Oh, do tell us!" they cried.
''Sit down, then," she said, and they took their
low chairs to her knee.
''This is my secret. Our dear old friend, Eleanor's
father, has to go away on business — maybe he will be
gone a year — and Eleanor is to come live with us."
"Oh, how lovely!" cried Mary Frances, throwing
her arms about her friend's neck and kissing her.
Tears came into Eleanor's eyes.
"I'm so glad," she said. "I shall miss Father
terribly, but if you and Mary Frances' father just
adopt me for a while, it w^ill be something hke having
my own dear father and mother. What about Bob?
Do you know where he is to be?"
"Yes, dear child," smiled Mary Frances' mother;
"that is another pleasant surprise. Bob is to go away
to school with Billy."
"Oh, will he study gardening?" cried Eleanor.
"He will, if he wishes, your father said."
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
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" Lsn'l that grand!" Eleanor was enthusiastic— then
her face suddenly clouded.
''When will Father go?" she asked.
"Not until the middle of September, Eleanor. He
and Bob are to come visit us the first of the month,
and 3'ou are to be with us from now on."
''You're to be my sister!" Mary Frances laughed.
"And you maj^ call me Mother, if you wish, dear,"
added Mary Frances' mother.
"Oh, it seems so cozj^ and lovely!" sighed the
little girl.
"Well, now, my girlies, since the secrets are told,
^^'hy not get Billy to help you plant the wild flower
seeds?"
"All right!" the}" cried, jumping up and kissing
her before they ran a\\ay.
"Oh, Billy! Billy!" they shouted as they saw
him in the garden.
"Here come 'our twins'," laughed Billy, turning
toward his father. "I wonder what's up."
"Hello, girls," he answered as they came near.
"What can we do for you?"
"Oh, Billy, and Father, have you heard the news?
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The Wild Flower Garden
295
Of course you have! Eleanor is to be my sister, and
3'ours, Billy, and she's to call Father, Father; and
Mother, Mother; aren't you, dear?" said Mary
Frances, kissing Eleanor, who smiled shyly.
^^Whew!" exclaimed Billy. ''Stop for breath,
Mary Frances, can't you? If Nell were as bad as
you— — "
''Oh, Billy!" chided Eleanor.
"I guess all that Billy means to say," interposed
his father, "is that we're all glad that such a good
little girl is to come live with us."
"You'll have to live up to that reputation, young
lady," laughed Billy.
"And now," Mary Frances produced the packages
of wild flower seeds, "we want our brother to help
us plant seeds."
"What kind of seeds are the}"? " questioned her father.
"Where did you get them?" asked Billy.
"We got them in the woods where we gathered the
wild flowers," answered Mary Frances.
"No wonder I couldn't find you," Billy com-
mented. "Where do you think they'd better be
planted. Father?"
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''Not near a garden of cultivated flowers," said his
father.
''No/' Billy remarked, "for we learned that the
cross-fertilization or a mixture of pollen might bring
very poor flowers in the garden if wild ones were
planted too near, and might also fill it up with
weeds."
"Down in this corner would be a good place, it
seems to me," said their father, leading the Avay.
"I'll be with you as soon as I get my spade and
fork," called Billy.
Everybody helped, and the bed was soon planted.
"I know they'll all grow for Jack " Eleanor
began.
Mary Frances pinched her arm, and Eleanor just
caught herself in time.
"For Jack Frost will not get here soon enough to
harm them," finished Eleanor.
"He'll not be here in time to harm the perennial
kind," Billy said.
"No," his father took up the thought, "August is
an ideal time to plant the seeds of perennials."
"We have a number of seeds ready for planting."
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The Wild Flower Garden
297
Billy turned to Mary Frances. ''Where are they,
sister?"
''In the play house," replied Mary Frances. " Shall
we get them?"
"Yes," said her father, "I have plenty of time
now, and I will help Billy, if he will act as 'master of
ceremonies.' "
"Father, I don't know such a heap." Billy's face
colored.
"Well, son," said his father, "we'll all appreciate
your telling us all you can of what you learned. I
know a little theory on the subject myself. I only
wish I could have had training and experience in
gardening when I was a boy."
"It's the most interesting subject in the world, I
beheve," Billy said earnestly.
"Here are the seeds," cried Mary Frances, as she
and Eleanor came with a number of packages.
CHAPTER LI
Growing Perennials from Seed
U
W
E bought," said Billy, taking the packages
his hand, ''only the seeds of the
m
perennials which are easily grown. It's
far better to buy the young plants of the more deli-
cate kinds."
"I should think so. May we see what you haAc
here?" asked his father, reading aloud the names
on the envelopes which Billy gave him. They were —
Gaillardia
Coreopsis
Iceland Poppies
Larkspur
Bell Flowers
Oriental Poppies
Baby's Breath
Hollyhocks
Foxgloves
Columbines
"Of course/' Billy explained, "all of these seeds
could be started in the early Spring in a sunny window
in the house, or in a hotbed, and transplanted to the
open ground in June; but the advantage in planting
them in July or August is that they will get a good
Growing Perennials from Seed
299
start before cold weather, and will bloom the next
Summer."
^'Oh, wouldn't they bloom in the coming Summer if
planted in the house very, very early in the Spring?"
asked Eleanor.
''A few^, such as sweet williams and gaillardia,
might," Billy answered, "but it would be quite
uncertain."
"Do you make the seed bed in just the same way
as for an}^ other seeds?" asked Mary Frances.
"Yes, taking great pains to have it finely pulver-
ized. Well, let's get to work! Father, please tell us
what you think is a good place."
After pointing out a good sunny place, his father
helped Billy make the seed bed, and the girls sowed
the seed.
"Cover the tiny seeds w4th just a thin layer of
soil," directed Billy, "but put a heavier cover on the
larger ones. The rule is to cover a seed with three
times its diameter."
"Next we press them down firmly," said Mary
Frances, "and sprinkle with water very gently."
"Good!" her father praised her. "What a fine
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
little gardener you are! By the way, when do we see
that play house garden of yours, dear?"
'^Oh, Father, that's to be another surprise!"
Mary Frances answered. "You're to be invited to
a Garden Party — you and Mother, and other people,
too."
''Won't that be fine! I hope you will not forget
Aunt Maria," her father smiled.
"That's a part of the secret. Father; please,
please don't guess any more! And please don't
tell Mother, will you?" Mary Frances begged
anxiously.
"Indeed, I shall not, little girl," he answered. "I
think it is a delightful idea."
"The bed should be shaded from the hot sunlight,"
Billy went on irrelevantly, "until the plants are quite
large."
They turned toward him.
"How's that best managed, son?"
"It can be managed in several different ways,"
said Billy. "For instance, brush may be laid over
the bed, but that is not a very good method. A better
one is to make a —
Growing Perennials from Seed
30 1
Cheese-cloth Shade Frame
Drive down several stakes on the border and in the center of
the bed.
Make a cover of cheese-cloth to fit over the bed, and fasten
it to the stakes.
You see, the cheese-cloth lets in light and air and rain, yet
protects the little seedlings from the direct hot rays of the sun.
''We boys will drive down the stakes if you girls
will make the cheese-cloth cover," volunteered their
father.
''Sew we will, won't we, Eleanor?" laughed Mary
Frances.
"Was that a pun?" asked Billy. "Why, Mary
Frances!"
"She meant we will so," Eleanor tried to explain,
but everybody smiled.
"You do not need to sew if the beds are narrow,
for the cheese-cloth will be wide enough," Billy said,
"nor if you use another method of shading the seed
beds. I mean if you use —
Lattice Shade Frame
Instead of using cheese-cloth, laths are fastened to the upright
stakes to form a "lattice."
The Mary Frances Garden Book
'^ I think the cheese-cloth frame would be less trouble
to make." Eleanor was much interested.
''All right, then," said Billy. ''We'll expect you
to have your part ready in time."
"Do you leave the cheese-cloth, or the lattice shade
frame over them all Avinter?" asked Mary Frances.
"No." BiUy shook his head. "After the little
plants are about three inches high, you remove the
frame, and let them grow with a will. By the latter
part of September they will be well rooted, able to live
over winter if covered with leaves when the weather
becomes frosty, and sheltered from the north Avinds."
E
CHAPTER LII
The Money the Children Made
LEANOR, if you're going to ' market garden '
with Billy and me, you'll have to get up
right away."
Mary Frances shook her little friend into wake-
fulness.
''Mar-ket — gar-den-ing? " yawned Eleanor, stretch-
ing. Then sitting up, ^'Oh, yes, I remember now,
Mary Frances! How stupid of me! It's Saturday!
My, I'm sorry I overslept!"
^' Never mind, girlie, but hurry up and dress.
Billy's already out in the garden putting things in the
wheelbarrow."
They didn't take much time for making a fancy
toilet, and were soon out in the play house garden with
Billy.
''Hello, girls," he called. ''Aren't these green
peppers beauties?" holding some up.
"Green peppers!" said Eleanor. "Why, lots of
those green peppers are red!"
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
''Oh, you're no Italian," laughed Billy, ''or you
would know that most green peppers turn red when
ripe enough."
"What else have we to-day?" asked Mary Frances.
'^Of course we have our parsley, and lettuce, and
tomatoes, and 'pot herbs.' "
"And cabbage, and carrots, and beans, and cucum-
bers," added Billy.
"And egg-plants!" Eleanor was proud to be able
to add a name to the list.
"All the articles mentioned. Ma'am," said Billy,
pretending to offer them for sale.
"I'll buy everything you have," answered Eleanor,
"if you'll sell for a penny."
" 'Said the piggy, "I won't!" ' " Mary Frances mis-
quoted, "and I don't blame Billy, for we've made lots
of money this Summer."
"Yes, I know," said Eleanor; "from the times I've
been out with you selling garden truck, you must have
quite a fortune by now."
"Oh, say " began Billy.
"What?" asked Mary Frances.
"Why, I was just thinking that since Eleanor
The Money the Children Made
305
was always helping us so much, she ought to share in
the proj&ts."
''Wouldn't that be fine!" Mary Frances hugged
her friend in delight.
''No." Eleanor shook her head. "If you divide
among three, you won't make money nearly as fast."
"We've done so well that we won't mind going a
little more slowly," said Billy. "Shall we tell what a
pile we have in the bank, Mary Frances?"
"Oh, Billy, you know I'm crazy to tell her!"
"Well," Billy took a book from his pocket, "last
Saturday night we had forty-four dollars and fifty-
seven cents, and Mrs. Dailey owes us two dollars and
nineteen cents."
"Oh, Billy, did you two make that much in this
short time?" Eleanor could scarcely believe her ears.
"More than that!" Mary Frances exulted. "And
we've paid Bill}^ back the money we borrowed from his
'prize money' for seeds."
"Let me see. Forty-four and two are forty-six,"
said Eleanor. "You may have sixty dollars by cold
weather!"
"More likely seventy, Billy?" asked Mary Frances.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
''I've heard of counting dollars before they were
hatched/' Billy laughed.
''Is Nell a partner from now on?" asked Mary
Frances.
"Yes/' Bill}' said, "if she helps, she shares in the
profits — but, gee, I wish Bob was here!"
"Well, you know he's coming soon!" said Mary
Frances, "and, besides, you'll be together the whole
school year!"
"Say, you girls get to work!" exclaimed BiUy, and
they flew to gather parsley, and tiny little red peppers,
and th^^me, and leeks, out of which Mary Frances made
penny bunches of pot herbs, while Eleanor tied some
three-cent and five-cent bunches of the parsley.
"Are we ready now?" asked Eleanor as Billy piled
the wheelbarrow high with vegetables.
"No, indeedy!" Mary Frances exclaimed. "Now,
it's my turn. Come on out into the front garden and
help me gather my bouquets."
"Let me see the order book, Billy, please?" she
asked.
"Oh, yes, Doctor Hopewell wants roses, larkspurs,
and baby's breath; Mr. Courtley asked for sweet
The Money the Children Made
307
peas. As we have only the perennial kind which have
no odor, I shall put a sprig of lemon verbena with them.
Aren't they beautiful?" as she began to gather them.
'^I just believe Mr. Courtley is going to give them to
Miss Constance. Last Sunday she wore to church the
bunch of tufted pansies he bought of me on Sat-
urday."
''Nell, you gather yellow flowers to-day. Isn't that
right, Mary Frances?"
He handed her a basket.
''In that," Mary Frances nodded. "You'll find
scissors inside the play house door."
Eleanor was soon cutting perennial sunflowers and
coreopsis.
"BiUy, get some blue flowers to put with the
coreopsis?" Mary Frances called after a minute, and
Billy began to cut some eupatorium.
"Isn't this a charming bouquet!" exclaimed Elea-
nor as she arranged the blue and yellow flowers.
They all admired it, but they voted the pink roses,
and larkspur, and baby's breath the most beautiful
of all.
"Now, we're ready to start!" Billy led off with
308
The Mary Frances Garden Book
the wheelbarrow, the girls following with baskets of
the herbs and flowers.
"Have you planned to do anything special with the
money, Mary Frances?" asked Eleanor.
"Well, for one thing, I shall save a good deal for
seeds and plants in the Spring, and Billy says we'll
plant bulbs in the Fall. That will cost quite a little."
"And w^e're planning to make a hotbed and a cold
frame," broke in Billy, who overheard.
"And when we started gardening I borrowed quite
a little sum for seeds from my savings account — with
Mother's permission. I have to put that back," Mary
Frances added.
"Money, like all good things," Billy looked wise,
"should be taken care of!"
"Oh, you miser, Billy!" Mary Frances playfully
shook her finger.
"Isn't it strange what funny ideas some people
have of how things grow?" remarked Billy. "A city
chap at school told me he had always thought that
cabbages grew on vines and potatoes were picked off
bushes!"
"Well, if he never saw them growing, how could he
The Money the Children Made
309
know?" Mary Frances reasoned after they stopped
laughing.
"That's right!" teased Billy. "Stand up for him."
By that time they were in the heart of the village,
and had very soon sold everything, for the village people
had become accustomed to look for the children.
"Every vegetable you bring is so fresh that we wait
to buy of you," several said.
"Splendid luck to-day," commented Billy, on the
waj^ home.
"Have you saved the things your mother or-
dered?" asked Eleanor.
"Of course," answered Billy. "You don't suppose
we'd neglect one of our first and best paying customers."
"Mother is a dear!" said Mary Frances. "So is
Father! They must wonder why they haven't been
invited to see our gardens."
"When are you going to ask them?" Eleanor
inquired.
"Why, don't you remember? When we give our
garden party."
"That's to be about the first of September, I
believe," said Billy.
CHAPTER LIII
"rip]
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Mary Frances' Garden Party
HERE!" Mary Frances looked up from her
writing. ''That is the last invitation, all
ready for the envelope. Eleanor, did you
hear?"
"I heard," her little friend laughed, ''but I
was so busy putting the last curl to the tail of the
address on the last envelope that I couldn't pay
attention."
"Oh, I am so much obliged to you for addressing
them," said Mary Frances. "Let me see if I've
thought of every one," laying them aside as she
counted.
"Here is Grandma's; here, Aunt Maria's; here,
your father's; here, Bob's; and last, but very
important, Mother and Father's. Let's go mail
them."
"What did you say to Aunt Maria?" Eleanor
inquired as they walked along.
"I said," Mary Frances recited:
{310
AIaky Frances' Garden Party
311
''Dear Aunt Maria: —
"Please come to my Garden Party next Wednes-
day. We've been industrious enough this Summer to
please even you!
"1 don't want to tell you any more, for fear I'll
spoil the surprise, but we won't have a bit nice time
unless you are with us. I'll never forget how pleased
you were with my cooking surprise.
"With love, which I want to give you in real hugs,
and real kisses, "Mary Frances."
"Mary Frances, do you dare hug your Aunt Maria?
I'd never dare, I'm sure. The very thought scares
me! She always seems so cross."
Mary Frances laughed. "I used to feel the same
way," she said, "but after I found out that she was
cross just because she was afraid "
"Afraid? Your Aunt Maria afraid!"
"Yes, afraid, and ashamed that somebod}^ might
think she was loving and kind. When I found that
out, I felt different. I was sorry for her."
"I know she loves you dearly," Eleanor admitted.
"She's a dear old bear who growls just for fun, and
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
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I hope she comes to the party. Grandma will come,
I know, and "
''So will Father and Bob/' finished Eleanor.
''Oh, I can scarcely wait for Wednesday!"
They were at the post office by this time. On their
way home they discussed their plans.
"Billy will bring the tables to the play house
on Tuesday," said Mary Frances, "and w^e'll all do
everything w^e can to get ready."
"What shall we have for refreshments?" Eleanor
asked.
"Why, I think it would be lovely to have everything
from our garden — of course, excepting the ice-cream,"
Mary Frances laughed. " I wonder how this would be:
Tomato and Lettuce Saiad with Mayonnaise Dressing
Creamed Potatoes
Cucumber Relish
Sandwiches
Green Pepper and Cheese Nasturtium
Ice-Cream
Spearmint Jumbles
Coffee
Mary Frances' Garden Party
313
"Oh, Mary Frances, that sounds perfectly wonder-
ful to me!" exclaimed Eleanor, ''but how can you
manage to serve so many things?"
"It won't be hard to manage," Mary Frances
answered, well pleased. "Fve thought it all out
carefully. We can have the mayonnaise dressing all
ready for the salad the day before, and can make the
sandwiches Wednesday morning if we wrap them in
waxed paper."
"How do you make those sandwiches, Mary
Frances?" asked Eleanor.
"Oh, I'm glad you asked that, for they are so
good, Eleanor. Use —
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For Twelve Green Pepper Sandwiches
3 five-cent packages cream cheese
2 green peppers, chopped very fine
Mix together and spread on well-buttered thin slices of bread.
Cover each with another buttered
"As if I didn't know that much!" exclaimed
Eleanor. "How do you make the other kind?"
"Oh, the nasturtium sandwiches? Why, you use
o
t
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The Mary Frances Garden Bo(m
the chopped stems and a few flowers of the nasturtium
plant between the bread. They taste something hke
the daintiest of radishes."
''I can make the sandwiches!" Eleanor exclaimed.
'^They are easy. Now, Avhat about the potatoes?"
''They can be creamed in the morning and warmed
in the oven just before serving."
''Oh, that's fine! What about the spearmint
jumbles you mentioned?"
"I made up that recipe," Mary Frances confessed.
"You see, I'm so crazy to have everj^thing from the
garden that I just had to be original."
"I'm wild to hear about this recipe!" Eleanor said.
"Let's go into the play house and I'll write it
down."
When they were seated, Mary Frances began:
"I looked all over the garden, Eleanor, and I
couldn't think of a thing we could use in making candy,
and I certainly think we need candy, don't you?"
"Indeed, I do!" Eleanor agreed.
"Suddenly I spied the spearmint growing with my
other herbs. 'The very thing!' I thought, so I just
made up a very simple recipe for —
Mary Frances' Garden Party
315
Spearmint Jumbles
2 cups sugar
I cup water
1 cup mint leaves
1. Wash the mint leaves.
2. Put the sugar in a saucepan. Add the water.
3. Stir sugar over the fire until dissolved.
4. Cook quite hard until the sugar begins to turn brown. Take
from the fire. Add mint leaves, stirring hard.
5. Turn out on a buttered pie plate. Add 2 tablespoons
butter.
6. Stir hard until candy falls apart or crumbles into small
pieces.
''My, but you are smart, Mary Frances!" de-
clared Eleanor. ''I wish I could do such things —
but what if some people don't care for spearmint
flavor?"
''We could make some fudge." Mary Frances
met the suggestion, "but I think everybody ought to
think it good this time because it's from our garden.
I didn't like to plan for ice-cream even because it
didn't grow there."
"Don't you wish it did!" cried Eleanor.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
"If it did, I'd have acres of ice-cream plants!"
Mary Frances laughed.
"We'll cook everything right here in the play
house," she continued; "that little stove will do all
that we want."
"Oh, won't it be too grand for anything!" Eleanor
hugged Mary Frances in enthusiasm.
f9i.
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So when Tuesday came, they set to work, and
carried out their plans.
"Who's to serve the feast?" asked Billy, as he
arranged the plates according to the girls' directions.
"Oh, we'll do that," answered Mary Frances. "All
we ask you to do, Billy, is to open the freezer and dish
the ice-cream."
"Believe me, you may count on me, ladies," said
Billy, bowing. "Count on me for a large share in the
ice-cream work, although I can't see that there will be
much work, for I ordered it in the form of bricks."
"Billy, you're a brick!" laughed Eleanor.
By twelve o'clock Wednesdaj^, the refreshments
were ready, and the girls went to the big house to
"doll up," as Billy said.
Mary Frances' Garden Party
317
Mary Frances glanced out of the window just as
she fastened the last button of Eleanor's dress.
''Here comes Aunt Maria!" she cried and bounded
down-stairs and out on the porch to meet her. While
she was hugging her, Eleanor's father and Bob ap-
peared on the scene, and you can imagine how happy
the little girls were.
''Where can Grandma be?" Mary Frances asked,
after her mother and father had welcomed everybody.
"Oh, there comes the station auto-bus. It's going to
stop here!" Surely enough it stopped, and out
stepped the dear old lady, whom everybody tried to
greet at once.
In the midst of the confusion, Mary Frances and
Eleanor sHpped away to the play house, and a little
later Billy and Bob piloted the guests to the play house
garden.
"Mistress Mary, never contrary,
Will show how her garden grows,"
announced Bob, leading the way up the path, where
Mary Frances shook hands with each one in a most,
grown-up, dignified fashion introducing them to "My
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
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friend, Miss Eleanor," just as Mother Paper Doll had
done in the Housekeeper story.
"So this is you children's garden surprise, dear!
Isn't it beautiful!" There were tears of joy in their
mother's eyes.
''Were there ever such children!" exclaimed their
grandmother.
''If there are any more wonderful, I have yet to
see them!" Aunt Maria's nose went up into the
air with pride.
"Jolly good gardener, Bill!" Bob slapped his friend
on the back.
"What you'll be next year," Billy retorted.
"Father hasn't said a word!" Mary Frances sud-
denly discovered.
"I've been speechless with surprise, dear," he said.
"It certainly paid to wait to see such a garden. The
flowers are wonderful!"
"Why, haven't you seen the garden before this?"
everybody asked, and he told the whole story.
As he finished, Bob and Eleanor's father spoke.
"I'm gladder than ever that Bob's to go away to
BiUy's school!"
Mary Frances' Garden Party
319
Then nearly everybody began to talk at once, say-
ing how much more sensible the ideals of education
were to-day than when they were young, and more of
such gro\^^l-up talk, w^hich gave the boys and girls a
chance to slip away to get the refreshments.
''How did you guess we were hungry?" asked Bob's
father as Mary Frances served the salad, and Eleanor
passed the sandwiches in a dainty basket, trimmed
with pink bows.
''Where did you find such beautiful lettuce and
tomatoes, dear?" asked Grandma, showing her enjoy-
ment of the treat.
"That's part of the secret," laughed Mary Frances.
"After you've tested our vegetables, we'll show you
our vegetable garden."
"Gee!" exclaimed Bob, ''you don't mean to say
you raised these?"
"Everything's from this garden except the ice-
cream!" Eleanor asserted proudly.
"Some farmers!" Bob started to say, but his-
father interposed.
You forget, son, that you're in a formal social
gathering — at a garden party, if you please."
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"Please pardon me," Bob begged, bowing to the
company.
''Let them talk — it's the youngsters' party," some-
\Vj body whispered so loud that everybody heard, and
everybody laughed.
After the ice-cream and coffee had been served, and
the bonbon dish of candy was passed, "What delicious
mints!" so many people praised, that Mary Frances
said she would carry the candy dish with them to the
vegetable garden, and all could see the bed of mint
where she gathered the leaves for the flavor.
It would be impossible to tell you how happy and
proud the children were as they showed their vege-
table garden, with its beautiful neat beds bordered
with nasturtiums.
You can imagine how they looked, for if you read
the garden lists in early chapters of this story, you
know w^hat they had growing.
"Everybody may pick a bouquet," said Mary
Frances, seizing Eleanor's hand and leading the
party to the flower garden. Just as they started,
Doctor Hopewell drove up with his son and two
daughters.
Mary Frances* "Garden Party
321
"We couldn't help stopping," he declared. ''You
made such a beautiful picture."
They were welcomed with delight, and the girls
insisted upon their having some salad and ice-cream.
''Isn't this the most charming thing you ever heard
of!" sighed Marjorie Hopewell.
"It's just like a girl's dream come true!" her
sister Helen agreed.
"The girls will never get over this. To have
peace I'll have to turn farmer yet! Bill and Bob will
have to give me pointers!" their brother Harry
laughed.
"Indeed, I'd hke to see you all doing what these
young people have done," their father told them.
The doctor and his family left in about an hour,
with flowers for Mrs. Hopewell, but the other guests
stayed until five o'clock, sitting on the easy chairs
which Billy had placed along the walk in front of the
play house.
The day was so beautiful — ^not too warm, not too
cool; not a rain cloud in the sky, but scattered about
with little white fleecy "flocks of lambs" clouds, as
Mary Frances said. Perhaps that and the beauty of
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
the garden made them linger, but they seemed sorry
to leave.
"You will all come again! Soon!" Mary Frances
and Billy made them promise. "And you'll come to
our garden party next year! We'll have both Bob
and Eleanor for partners then!"
"O
CHAPTER LIV
Feather Flop's Conceit
H, Feather Flop! Feather Flop!" called
Mary Frances, as she carried a pan of the
^4eft overs" of the garden party out to the
rooster the next morning.
Feather Flop made some queer gurgling noise in
his throat.
''Why, what's the matter, old fellow?" she asked
in alarm.
"Matter?" cawed Feather Flop hoarsely. ''Mat-
ter? Why, this: I've nearly crowed my bill off trying
to call you. Fm so hoarse I can scarcely whisper!
I grew so weak, finally I had to lean up against the
fence to crow!"
"Mercy! Was it as bad as that?" asked Mary
Frances. "Why, I must have been so tired out from
our garden party that I slept so soundly I didn't
hear. I'm sorry — you must have wanted to see me
very particularly, too!"
" 'Our garden party!' " echoed Feather Flop.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
'' 'Our garden party!' As though any mention had
been made of me!"
'' Oh ! oh ! oh ! " cried Mary Frances. '' Oh, was that
it, Feather Flop? I never thought — really! I sup-
posed I must keep you a secret just as Fve been accus-
tomed with other fairy folks."
"Fairy folks!" exclaimed Feather Flop. ''Fairy
folks! I'm not a fairy! I'm a farmer! and even if
3^ou don't remember, it doesn't change the fact that if
it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have had any
garden at all."
"Why, you conceiteci old fellow!" cried Mary
Frances. "How do you make that out? But," seeing
the disappointment on his face, "of course, I appreciate
your help. Indeed I do. Feather Flop," she added.
"Don't you recollect?" asked Feather Flop.
"Don't you recollect that day when you couldn't
understand the seed catalogue? Who was it that
helped you then? Who was it, httle Miss?"
He cocked his head and looked up at her expec-
tantly.
"\\Tiy, it was you, Feather Flop!" Mary Frances
exclaimed. "It certainly was you, my old friend!"
Feather Flop's Conceit
325
Feather Flop blinked. "Tm glad you can call it
to mind!" he remarked. '^If you had only just men-
tioned my name at the garden party, I wouldn't have
felt so bad."
''Oh!" said Mary Frances.
''Even if you'd just said to me, if you'd just said,
* Feather Flop, old chap, you can't come to the garden
party, of course, but you're invited,' I wouldn't have
felt as I did."
"Oh, dear!" said Mary Frances.
"If you'd said at the party, 'Now^, if my old friend,
Feather Flop, hadn't helped me,' or something like
that, I'd have been so proud and glad."
"How do you know I didn't?" Mary Frances
parleyed under sudden inspiration.
"How do I know? I was there. I was there even
uninvited!" declared Feather Flop.
"Why, where in the world were you?" asked Mary
Frances in astonishment. "You couldn't have been
in the garden, for we were everyv\^here."
"It's a riddle!" Feather Flop's voice sounded as
though he was laughing. "I was in the garden
You can't guess where!"
c
19
k
%^^^
o/
•5
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
^'Indeed, I can't." Mary Frances shook her head.
"Unless you were under something inside the play
house."
"No, I wasn't inside the play house/' said Feather
Flop, in a voice which still sounded like laughter,
"Guess again! One more guess!"
"Give it up." Mary Frances acknowledged her
defeat.
"Why, I was outside the play house on the roof!"
declared the rooster triumphantly.
"Oh!" cried Mary Frances, delighted. "So that
is where you were! You really were at the party,
after all! Now I shall feel better. If I'd only realized
how you felt, I'd loved to have invited you and to
have had you there!"
"That makes it all right," said Feather Flop
brightly. "I only thought you'd forgotten me and
maybe didn't want me! That's what made me so
sad!"
"Not want you!" exclaimed Mary Frances. "Not
want you! I think you are the most wonderful rooster
in the whole wide world, and the smartest
"Farmer?" asked Feather Flop anxiously.
Feather Flop's Conceit
327
"Yes, indeed, farmer!" declared the little girl,
picking him up and tenderly smoothing him. ''If it
hadn't been for you, I doubt if I'd have had a garden!"
''Oh, I'm the happiest rooster in the wide world!"
sighed Feather Flop, "and if I weren't just a plain
farmer rooster, I'd turn into a fairy prince, dressed in
blue satin trimmed with gold and diamonds, but as it
is — I'm hungry!"
"Come!" laughed Mary Frances. "Come, eat,"
she said. "I like you far better than any fairy prince,
for you're my own dear friend — my farmer, Feather
Flop."
And Feather Flop looked so proud you might
have imagined him in tiny overalls and sun hat.
io
CHAPTER LV
Bob and Billy's Vacation
THE boys had been at school several weeks, and
Mary Frances and Eleanor were well started
in their studies, when one golden-leafed day in
October, each girl received a letter from her brother
as they stopped at the post office on their way from
school.
''We're coming home on Friday," both letters read
alike, "to plant the bulbs, and we'll expect your help
after school, and all day Saturday, if necessary; and
we'll hope — just hope — for some play house cooking."
''Isn't it comical for them to say just the same
thing!" exclaimed Eleanor.
"Won't we have fun!" Mary Frances answered.
"Let's see, this is Wednesday. I wonder if Billy
wrote to Mother." And away they flew to find
out.
"Mother, you've known for several days, I just
believe," declared Mary Frances, whereat her mother
laughed and confessed that she had known, but that
Bob and Billy's Vacation
329
it was her turn to keep a surprise in store for them.
Then all three fell to making plans for the visit.
''We'll give a dinner in the play house," decided
Mary Frances, ''and invite you and Father."
"Oh, you children would have more pleasure with-
out grown-ups," protested her mother.
"Not a bit of fun without our kind of 'grown-ups,'
you mean," Mary Frances contradicted lovingly.
"Doesn't she, Eleanor?"
"Yes, indeed!" Eleanor answered emphatically.
"You dear children!" was all the mother said, but
the girls knew that their invitation was accepted.
When the boys came, there was so much to talk
about that they didn't get to work until Saturday.
There w^ere stories of the jokes which the second year
fellows played on the "Freshies," and of the winning of
the big football game, and of the rigid training in
athletics, and a volume of other talk new to the girls;
at least, new to Eleanor, and equally entertaining to
Mary Frances and her parents.
"I wrote 'the governor' all about that," said Bob
as he finished relating one particularly amusing
incident.
^-M
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
The girls looked puzzled.
''He means his 'old man/ " explained Billy.
"Oh, Billy! How you talk!" cried Mary Frances.
"Do you mean his father?"
"Sure guess!" nodded Billy.
"Well, Father, if that's the way they learn to talk,
I shouldn't think you'd let them go back." Mar}^
Frances pretended to be indignant.
But he only laughed, saying, "Oh, they'll outgrow
it." And the boys took up anew the threads of their
stories.
It was quite late before they got to bed, but they
were up bright and early Saturday morning.
"We fellows haven't time now to explain why
bulbous plants bloom so readily in the Spring."
"We know; don't we, Mary Frances?" Eleanor
exclaimed without thinking.
Mary Frances pursed her lips to look like "Hush!"
and shook her head, which made Eleanor remember
that Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Bouncing Bet's lessons
were to be a secret.
"If you know so much, Nell," Bob replied
mockingly, "perhaps you can tell the difference
Bob and Billy's Vacation
331
between a corm, a rhizome, a tuber, and a fleshy
root."
"Well! Well!" cried Mary Frances, ''I guess we
better not lay claim to any more knowledge," and she
winked at Eleanor, who nodded understandingly.
''But," said Billy, opening his note-book, ''we will
tell you a little something about —
The Planting of Bulbs
Anyone can have flowers which grow from bulbs.
They require so Httle care that everybody can be cheered
in the early Spring with the sunshine of daffodils, and the fragrance
of hyacinths, and the gay color of tulips ; which, after the dullness
of winter, are appreciated more, perhaps, than any other flowers.
Their leaves and flowers being wrapped with their food supply,
in the storage bulbs, it takes only the call of a few days of warmth
and sunshine to bring them into bloom.
So every one should —
Plant Spring-Flowering Blt.bs in Autumn
In October or November is the best time of the year for
planting Spring-flowering bulbs; in localities where the Winters
are not severe, December is perfectly safe.
The bulbs should have time to make some roots before the
ground freezes.
^^
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
How TO Plant Bulbs
Bulbs do not like clayey soil, nor do they like dampness;
neither do they thrive on fresh manure.
Remembering this, you already know just about what kind
of soil they need — well-drained, loamy soil, full of humus or well-
rotted manure, and some sand; for sandy soil is needed by all
bulbs.
If you do not have such garden soil, dig quite large holes with
your trowel, and fill them with such a mixture. If you do not have
well-rotted manure, use a sprinkling of bone meal.
Depth to Plant
A good rule for the depth to plant bulbs is twice their
length; but sometimes it pays to plant them deeper to protect
them.
If planted deeper they come into bloom a little later, but the
protection of the depth may save them from destructive freezing.
Where to Plant Bulbs
Blooms of bulbs look beautiful anywhere. One need not
hesitate to place them in masses (a number near each other) in
the garden borders, for after they bloom and die down, there will
be no bare spots if some annuals, with short roots, are gro\vnover
them; such as alyssum, ageratum, violas, verbenas.
Plant the low-growing sorts of bulbs in the front, and the
taller kinds in the back of the garden.
Bob and Billy's Vacation
333
Cover, when the ground begins to freeze, with several inches
of dry leaves or grass.
Most bulbs do best if not lifted after blooming; that is, let
them be in the ground for several years. Then the new bulbs
which have grown on the old ones will need to be separated and
planted.
Narcissus and daffodils may remain many years without
disturbing.
Hyacinths do not do as well as other out-door hardy bulbs,
becoming less vigorous each year. They do a little better if the
bulbs are lifted and dried in the Summer and replaced in the Fall.
If you plant —
Bulbs in the Grass
One caution is necessary: after they are through blooming,
wait until the green leaves turn yellow before cutting the grass.
If the leaves are cut before they turn, the bulbs will die.
Nowhere else do such flowers look so beautiful as in the grass..
To plant small bulbs, such as crocus, dig holes in the turf
with an apple-corer, or with a "dibble," which is a pointed stick.
Throw in a tiny bit of bone meal and some sand. After placing
the bulb, being certain to put the root end down, and the pointed
top up, cover with sand and pack the turf firmly back in place.
A better way is to lift the turf with a spado. Dig, to loosen
up the soil; add a little bone meal; plant bulbs, replace sod.
To place them in an artistic position, throw down a handful
and plant where they fall.
>«y^
"G
CHAPTER LVI
Daffodil and Other Bulbs
OOD!" Bob approved as Billy paused, ''that's
a splendid lecture, Bill."
''Isn't it?" cried Eleanor. "I believe
we know almost everything now about planting
bulbs."
"What kinds are we going to plant?" asked Mary
Frances, looking at the large package the boys had
brought with them.
They opened it and Bob began to speak: *' Young
ladies," he commenced; then, "Oh, I say, Bill, I can't
come this 'professor act.' You'd better do the lec-
turing!"
"No, sir-ee!" declared Billy. "It's your turn now.
Go ahead."
"Oh, go on, Bob," cried Eleanor.
"Please do!" begged Mary Frances.
All right, then," replied Bob, laughing, "only
'don't expect much erudite stuff from humble me —
even when I read my notes. "
334
Daffodil and Other Bulbs
335
Then, opening his book, and clearing his throat,
he started once more: "Listen, young ladies, and
you will hear of —
Bulbs to Plant in the Fall
Snowdrops \
The earliest Spring garden flower, sometimes coming literally
out of the snow as early as February ; but usually blooming in
March. The blossoms are small, white, bell-shaped, not in the
least showy. Only one who has come upon them unexpectedly
blooming in his garden knows the thrill of pleasure which they
bring. As they are small and inexpensive, plant a number of
bulbs about two inches apart, to cover an irregular circle. Once
planted they take care of themselves.
Squills (Scilla)
Near the Snowdrops, plant in the same way, a dozen Siberian
Squills. Beautiful blue flowers, which will bloom perhaps while
some of the Snowdrops are in blossom. Once planted, do not
disturb.
Grape Hyacinths {Muscari)
Little stalks of tiny tight blue bells, or white, somewhat the
shape of tiny fairy-folks' grapes. Everyone should have a dozen
or so of these pretty early Spring-flowering bulbs.
336
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Narcissus or Daffodils
Everybody knows a daffodil, for breathes there a human being
with soul so dead as not to feel warmth of heart at the sunshine
glow of its yellow petals?
But not everybody knows the difference between daffodils and
jonquils and narcissus.
The fact is, they are all sold by dealers under the name
Narcissus.
Every Narcissus has a "cup and saucer" form. In some, the
cup, or trumpet, is tall; in some, it is short; in others, it is double:
and according to the shape of the cup, each Narcissus is named.
All dealers agree that the type with the double cup is called
daffodil. It is not generally thought so attractive as the single sorts.
The single sorts are of the following different varieties of
Narcissus:
Giant Trumpet. Very show>', with large cups and
saucers. Buy "Emperor," and "Empress."
Medium Trumpet. ("Star" Narcissus.) Not so
large nor attractive, but very graceful. Buy
"Barii Conspicuus."
Poet's Narcissus. Old-fashioned favorite. Charming
fragrant white flowers, with cups edged with red.
Buy "Poeticus" (Pheasant's Eye) or "King Edward
VII." Very easily grown.
Jonquils are the small-flowering type of Narcissus. They are
easily grown, and many have a charming fragrance.
Narcissus '
Daffodil and Other Bulbs
337
Polyanthus A^arcissus or Nosegay Daffodils are the little
clustered kind grown indoors.
All these distinctions, and many others, are made by the
dealers, but almost everyone of us thinks of all the yellow Narcissus
as Daffodils. They grow so readily, with almost no care, that
everyone, with only the tiniest garden, should plant at least a
half dozen bulbs of the "Giant Emperor."
Within a few years after planting, the Spring will bring
dozens of blossoms of —
" Daffodown-dilly,
Come up to town,
In a green petticoat
And a gold gown."
Hyacinths
Single sorts do better than double. As a rule, hyacinths do
not improve from being kept in the ground all Winter; they may be
taken up and stored in a cool cellar over Winter to be planted in
the early Spring; but a better plan is to let the old bulbs grad-
ually "run out," and plant a few new bulbs each Fall. These
are sent to dealers every Autumn from Holland, because the
climate of Holland is nearly perfect for bulb growing. Sometimes
hj^acinths do quite well for a number of years kept in the ground
out-of-doors.
Their charming fragrance, color and form, make them a most
attractive flower. They come in white, pinks and purples.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
Tulips <
Tulips
The most gorgeous of all Spring-flowering bulbs.
Early Single. Grow about eight inches high; come in
pinks, reds, yellows, white.
Early Double. These are not so beautiful as the single
varieties.
Cottage Garden (May flowering). A tall variety, growing
about eighteen inches high, blooming much later than
the Early Single.
Darwin. The most desirable of all tulips, but not very-
early. The tallest grow nearly thirty inches high.
Globe-shaped flowers of most brilliant shades of reds,
purples, pinks and white. If yellow is desired, buy
one of the Cottage Garden, for there are no yellow
Darwins.
Parrot. Showy; of variegated shading and irregular
petals. Not so artistic as single sorts, but very odd
and interesting. Buy only a few bulbs.
While tulips are most effective if planted in groups or masses,
an edging of the stiff blooms of the Early Single is delightful,
especially if a red is alternated with a white. They look almost
like "candles in bloom."
Lilies
Lilies dislike sour soil, so sprinkle some lime over the ground
before digging it deeply. A little powdered charcoal in each hole
Daffodil and Other Bulbs
339
helps, too, and it is well to dust each bulb with flowers of sulphur
to protect from worms and mildew.
Lilies love shade, and do best among other perennials because
they will shade their roots, which spread out near the surface of
the ground. By the way, since they spread near the surface, do
not "cultivate" lilies. Do not disturb the bulbs, which will bloom
for years if planted right in the first place. Most lilies bloom in
Mid-summer.
Hardy Lilies <
Plantain Lily (Funkia). The most easily grown,
with spikes of blooms about eighteen inches
high, in white, blue or lavender.
Yellow Day Lily (Hemerocallis). Grows any-
where, sometimes killing out other flowers.
Blooms on stems about thirty inches high.
Madonna Lily (Candidum). Beautiful, stately,
tall white lilies with delightful fragrance. They
resemble "Easter Lilies." Cover bulbs with
only two inches of soil.
Red Spotted Lily (Lilium Speciosum Rubrum).
A tall Japanese lily, easily grown. Large white
flowers dotted with red, borne on a tall stem.
Tiger Lily (Tigrinum). Orange spotted with
black. Very easily grown.
Lilies-of-the-V alley. Grown from "pips," or tinj';
bulbs. Plant in the Spring, in rich earth. They
like some shade.
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The Mary Frances Garden Book
Iris (Flags)
Spanish Iris. Exquisite orchid-like blooms, in white and
rich shades of blue, yellow, bronze.
German Iris. Very easily groAMi and very desirable.
Bulbs to Plant in Early Spring
Among these are:
Tuberoses
Plant in May, and again in June and July, in order to have a
continuation of bloom of these powerfully fragrant and beautiful
white flowers.
Gladiolus
These bulbs are planted in May and June at two weeks
intervals, in order to have blooms from July to October. They
like rich soil'J^and powdered sheep manure, which is sold by the
l)ound, is a good substitute for rotted stable manure. They like
the sunny places.
The bulbs of both tuberoses and gladiolus should be taken
out of the ground in the Fall after the foliage becomes yellow.
The stems are cut off and the bulbs dried on an airy shelf, or any
place which is neither very warm nor very cold. They are set in the
ground again in the Spring.
Cannas and dahlias grow from fleshy roots and are planted
in the Spring also. The^' are lifted and dried in the Fall.
Daffodil and Other Bulbs
341
If your garden space is small, the following selection of bulbous
plants will give a great deal of enjo>'Tnent:
Hardy Bulbs for ^ Small Garden
6 Snowdrops
C Grape Hyacinths (2 white, 4 blue)
6 Ei^peror Daffodils
6 Poet's Narcissus (Pheasant's Ej^e)
G Early Single Tulips
12 Darwin Tulips (3 each, of four different c61ors)
3 Spanish Iris
6 German Iris
Growing Bulbs IndCors
It is very interesting and delightful to grow bulbs indoors,
where the warmth ''forces" them into bloom in ti^jie cold winter
months. If they are managed in the right way, you may have
blooms from Christmas on. Do not attempt to have over a half
dozen pots the first year.
Bulbs may be grown indoors in pots or in prepared fibre,
which may be bought of a dealer.
If growTi in pots, prepare a rich soil of sand and leaf mold.
If impossible to get leaf mold, use a sprinkling of bone meal.
Place some pieces of broken flower pots or pebbles in the bottom
of the pots to drain the water off, or the bulbs will mold.
If grown in prepared fibre, moisten the fibre before puttiiig
1342
The Mary Frances Garden Book
in the pot, but do not make it wet enough to wring. Plant bulbs
as in soil, but do not pack in tight. After watering, turn pot on
the side to drain off the water. A piece of charcoal in the bottom
of the pan or pot keeps the fibre sweet.
Hyacinths do well when grown in glass vases. The glass
vases used are made for the purpose, and hold the bulb just above
the water — not touching.
The main point in growing bulbs indoors is to arrange to keep
them growing in a dark, cool place until the roots have formed and
the leaves show about three inches.
This is accomplished in several different ways. Perhaps the
simplest of all is to place the pots on a cool cellar floor and cover
them with ashes, which will assure their being kept in the dark.
Keep them damp by watering the ashes once or twice a week.
(The same idea is better carried out by the use of a cold frame, the
making of which is described in the next chapter.)
Place the pots on ashes in the frame, throwing three or
four inches of ashes over them; or use dried peat moss instead
of ashes. This is sold by dealers in seeds and plants.
Place glass cover on the cold frame when the weather becomes
severe.
About three weeks before you wish them to bloom bring some
of the potted bulbs into the warmth of the house. Do not place
them immediately in a very warm place or in the sunlight. Give
^them as much fresh air as possible.
After planting bulbs in prepared fibre, or hyacinths in glasses,
Daffodil and Other Bulbs
343
keep them in a dark, airy closet until the roots have formed, whicli
will be in about six weeks. Then bring them into warmth and
light. The roots of the hyacinth should reach the bottom of the
glasses before bringing them into the light.
Daffodils and single tulips, crocuses, polyanthus narcissus
(often grown in pebbles in water) all are easily forced into bloom
indoors.
"But/' added Billy as Bob drew a long breath,
"growing bulbs indoors is a rather tedious experi-
ment, and better not be attempted by young children,"
as he pulled Mary Frances' hair ribbon untied.
"Well, neither of you would have known much,
Mr. Superior Knowledge," laughed Eleanor, "if yo,u
hadn't studied this all within a week or so."
"Let's begin to plant," was Billy's answer.
\\ //:
D
CHAPTER LVII
Billy Builds a Hotbed
URING the Christmas holidays the children
made wonderful plans for their gardens.
"Everything should be started very earlj'/'
said Bob, airing his newly acquired knowledge, ''and
the best place to start seeds is in a hotbed."
''I tell you what w^e'll do, Bob," Billy suggested.
''Let's come home in March and build one!"
"Won't that be grand!" cried the girls with enthu-
siasm. "We'll help all we can."
"Ah! You can't " began Billy, then stopped.
So one sunny day in the early part of March^ just
the very day Eleanor discovered some of the snowdrops
blooming, the boys surprised them. About an hour after
they came, the lumber and sashes for the hotbed arrived.
"We bought the frames ready to set up," Billy said,
"but a fellow could make one quite well. Even a
grocery box, if cut in the right shape and covered with
glass, makes a good substitute."
Billy Builds a Hotbed
345
"Yes, we made that kind at school for practice,"
added Bob, and to show how well he had learned his
lesson, he started to dig where they had decided to
place the hotbed.
Meanwhile Billy referred to his useful note book,
and explained what they were about to do. ^'The
situation is very important," he said, '^for we learned
at school that a —
vNV, -<N.
Hotbed -
should be sheltered from the north winds; so, if possible, i)lace it
on the south side of a large building.
Let it slant toward the sunny south, where the glass sash will
catch the sun's rays.
You see, a hotbed is a tiny greenhouse.— Jn both a greenhouse
and a hotbed, artificial heat is supplied.
Greenhouses are heated by steam or hot water pipes : ordinary
hotbeds are heated by fresh manure, which, in the process of
decomposing, gives off a great amount of heat.
Heat, air and sunhght are essential for plants' growth.
The slanting glass sash catches the sunshine, and holds in
the heat which the manure gives off. The sashes are raised a
little in the warmest part of each day, which gives the plants air.
The frame is generally about eighteen inches high in back and
twelve inches in front.
^
.^^
^\vr
'^(
^ t/.
346
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Dig nearly two feet deep, in a space a foot wider and longer
than the frame.
Get ready a pile of fresh horse manure which has been mixed
with one-third as much bedding straw or litter.
If very dry, sprinkle with water. When, in a day or two, it
begins to steam, turn it well over, and in a day or so more, fill
the dug-out space to within six inches of the top.
Place the frame on this, and bank up the outside with more
manure. Cover the manure with earth.
Fill the inside with earth six or eight inches deep, and water
with a sprinkler.
Put on the sash, and place a thermometer inside. It may go
up to 120 degrees, but in a few days will come down to 90 degrees,
when the bed is ready for planting.
Seeds may be planted direct in the soil, but a more convenient
plan is to fill shallow boxes, called "flats," with soil, and plant
the seeds in them, placing them in the hotbed. They are easily
lifted if a slat is nailed across the middle, when the young plants
are ready for transplanting into the —
Cold Frame
The frame and glass sash of a cold frame arc just like those of
a hotbed, but the cold frame is placed on the ground without fresh
manure, sometimes without any manure.
Usually, the earth is dug u]3 to the depth of a foot and
mixed with well-rotted manure and the frame placed on top of it.
Soil is also banked up on the outside for protection from cold winds.
Billy Builds a Hotbed
347
An old cooled off hotbed is really a cold frame.
A cold frame is always useful for —
1. "Wintering over" plants a little too tender to leave unpro-
tected.
2. Transplanting seedlings (young plants) from the hotbed,
Avhere they will gradually become accustomed to a cooler atmos-
phere before they are placed in the outside ground.
Young lettuce plants may be placed in the cold frame in the
Autumn, and will supplj'' salad nearly all winter.
Parsley and herbs will stay green the winter through if placed
in the cold frame.
Some hardier seeds may be started in the cold frame instead
of the hotbed; such as cucumber or melons.
Always cover the sash with burlap or old carpet on very cold
nights, to prevent young plants from freezing.
Before the boys returned to school, the children had
sowed in their new hotbed the seeds of the following-
flowers and vegetables:
Ageratum
Lettuce
Alyssum
Radishes
Corn flowers
Parsley
Snapdragons
Tomatoes
Peppers
CHAPTER LVIII
Some Hints on Growing Vegetables
yiw
MARY FRANCES repeated to Eleanor some of
the lessons which Billy had given her on
growing vegetables.
She had a little book in which she had taken notes.
''Bill}' told me/' she said, ''that when he was
little, he used to wonder why things wouldn't grow if
they were just 'stuck down' in the ground. You
see, he didn't know that the making of the beds was
the most important matter of all."
"Why, I've heard people saj^ that anything would
grow if planted by certain people — that they 'had
luck,' " Eleanor stated.
"If you had watched those very people," Mary
Frances replied wisely, "you would probably have
seen that they loosened up the soil before they ' stuck ^
the plant down."
"I imagine that's true," agreed Eleanor.
"Well," Mary Frances continued, opening her book,
"as you know, in getting the outdoor beds ready, you —
Some Hints on Growing Vegetables 349
(1) Dig deep to loosen the soil;
(2) Spread over it well-rotted manure;
(3) Dig and turn the soil over again;
(4) Rake the top soil fine and level.
It is a good plan to spread leaves and manure over the ground
in the Fall and dig them in in the Spring to make the soil rich
and crumbly, or friable.
Did you ever think how many different parts of plants are
used for food?
We eat the roots of some vegetables; such as beets, carrots,
radishes, turnips.
Of others we use the leaves; such as lettuce, celery, cabbage,
spinach, parsley.
Of others, the seeds; as beans, peas, corn.
Of others, the fruit; as peppers, melons, tomatoes.
!*U
The Earliest Vegetables to Plant
The following vegetable seeds are not very delicate, and can
stand a good deal of frost.
Plant as soon as the ground is warm, about the first of
April.
f The new early "Lactonia" peas are to be
_, , , • , recommended, because it is not necessary to use
Plant seeds 2 mches . , , ^, , ^• u n
^ brush for them to climb upon. Buy one pmt.
' P , ' P> 2 i^^ pg^g every week for a month to have them
feet between rows. • r a .l *• /it • ^ m
[ripen from time to time (successively ).
350
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Lettuce
Plant seeds 5 inch
deep, broadcast, or 3 {
inches apart, in rows 1
foot apart.
"All Heart" is very delicious. Remember that
lettuce will be much more tender and crisp if
grown very quickly in beds rich in manure. Over
it, a shade frame should be used in mid-summer
and hot weather.
In transplanting to rows from the hotbed, put
plants 6 inches apart.
Cos, or Romaine, or Celery Lettuce is very
easily grown. The heavy ribs of the leaves are
crisp and good. It grows quite well in hot weather.
Ojiiotis
Cover the onion with
soil. Leave 2 inches
between onions; 6 inches
between rows.
Buy yellow onion sets — one pint. It takes two
years to raise onions from seeds. When ready to
pull, take every other one or so, leaving the
smallest to grow larger.
i^"
/a
Radvihef;
5 inch deep, about 2
iiK'hes apart. Rows 1 foot
apart, or broadcast.
Beets
Seeds 1 inch deep, 2
inches apart, in rows 1
foot apart.
The best are the little red globe shape. Sow
some in early Spring in hotbed. Sow every week
to have "successive," crops. They wiU be ready
in about four weeks. Radishes hke a sprinkling
of Ume in the soil.
Buy five-cent package of Crosby's "Egyptian.''
Seeds may be sowed thick, for not all germinate.
Thin the rows by pulling the weakest plants.
The j'oung leaves may be cooked as "greens."
Never cut the tops off of beets when cooking.
Cut off only the leaves. Beets may be sowed
again in June for a late crop.
Some Hints on Growing Vegetables 351
The Second Early Vegetables to Plant
(About ten days after the first)
Carrots
Sow J inch deep, 3
inches apart, in rows Ij
feet apart .
Leeks
Sow seeds 1 inch deep,
2 inches apart, in rows 1
loot apart.
Parsley
Sow § inch deep, about
4 inches apart, in rows 1
foot apart.
Buy one package "Sutton's Red Intermediate."
Carrots do not Uke new rich soil.
Radishes may be sowed between the rows; for
j they will be pulled before the carrots need much
I room. Sow carrots rather thick, and thin out
[ weak plants.
Buy one package "Prizetaker Leeks." Sow in
March or April, and when they are about half a
foot high, transplant to deep, rich soil, 6 inches
apart, in rows 1 foot apart. Plant deep, to
"blanch," or whiten the tops.
Leeks may be sowed in September and trans-
planted in the Spring.
Buy one package "Dwarf Perfection" or "Moss
Curly." Soak seed over night in water. Parsley
may be broadcast if space is limited. Add an
equal quantity of sand to the seeds to help
sowing. Throw Band and seeds over the seed bed.
Cover by using a toy rake. When 4 inches high,
it may be transplanted to rows. " Winters over "
in cold frame, and in some localities outdoors, if
covered with leaves.
Thyme and Sioeet Basil
Broadcast.
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Sow broadcast in March in flats (shallow boxes)
in hotbed, or under glass. When 2 or 3 inches
high, thin out. When ground is really warm, set
out 15 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart. Children
will not need more than half a dozen plants of
large sweet peppers. Buy "Chinese Giant."
Little red peppers are particularly pretty in the
garden, and are useful for flavoring soup — use
only a half or a quarter of one, though. Buy
"SmaU Chih" or "Red Cherry." •
Sow about a dozen seeds in late March or early
April in strawberry bo.\ filled with rich soil, and
place under glass. Some warm day in May, make
a hill about eight inches high, and after tearing
< off the bottom of the box, plant it in the hill.
After a few days, thin out the weakest plants,
leaving three or four standing. Two or three moth
balls in the ground, when the leaves come
^ through, will keep bugs away.
Sugar Com takes up so much room in the
garden that only a very few hills should be planted
by a child. When the weather is very warm,
make little hills 3 feet apart. Drop 6 corn kernels
\ a httle distance apart into the hole. Cover with
about an inch of soil. Shallow cultivation helps.
Buy one package "Stabler's Early" for early
corn; one package "Stowell's Evergreen" for
later crops.
Some Hints on Growing Vegetables 353
Lima Beans. Buy "Bush Limas," because it
will not be necessary to set poles for them to
climb upon. Wood ashes mixed with the soil
helps them gi-ow. They do not Uke damp, heavy
soil. Do not plant before warm weather, because
beans are tender. Plant in ivarm weather, edge-
wise, with the "eye" down.
String Beans. Buy "Stringless Green Pod."
Plant every week after all danger of frost is past,
2 inches deep, 6 inches apart, in rows IS inches or
/2 feet apart.
Beans
2 inches deep, 6 inches
apart, in rows 18 inches
apart
Tomatoes
Plants, 2 feet apart,
in rows 3 feet apart
Tomato Trei.lis or Support
It is best for the small gardener to buy the
plants and set them out in rows when the weather
is really warm. "Earliana" is the best early
variety.
"Ponderosa" la the best later variety. If you
sow seeds, start them under glass in March or
even earUer. When plants are about 3 inches high,
transplant to strawberry boxes. Break bottom of
box and transplant box into the open gi-ound
when it is really warm. Tomatoes need 6ui)por(.s
to rest or cUmb upon. The simplest support is
a stake driven down near them, to which the
stems are tied as they grow. Stakes driven at
intervals with heavy cords running from one to
the other make another good support; but the
best is a slat frame.
If grown from seeds, they will not be ready for
about 18 weeks.
-^»-w
',-^1
>^
^\Jkit^
354
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Potatoes
White Potatoea. It is best for children not to
attempt to grow more than one plant of potatoes,
but they may be interested to know that white
potatoes are grown from the "eye," cut in a large
square-shaped piece of the potatoes. The pota-
toes form on the roots of the bush, and are dug
and stored in the Fall.
Sweet Potatoes grow on the roots of a very pretty
vine which trails over the ground. To get the
young plants, some sweet potatoea are gi-own in
hotbeds, and the vines are transplanted in hot
weather to open ground.
In transplanting, always press with your fingers the soil
firmly down around the roots.
Fertilizers
As you know, in order to make good and rapid growth, plants
need the right kind of food. Manure is the best fertilizer. In
manure almost every kind of plant food is supplied, but there are
chemical foods which stimulate growth and are easily applied.
If it is impossible to obtain manure, use decayed vegetables and
leaves, and Commercial Fertilizer, which is made up of the mineral
or chemical food needed by plants. Do not use too much, for
it is very heating and may burn the roots of young plants. Never
let the roots come into direct contact with the powder — always
sprinkle some earth over it after throwing a small quantity (about
two tablespoonfuls) in a hole.
Some Hints on Growing Vegetables 355
Bone meal or Ground Bone is another excellent food. If
sprinkled on the ground and dug in around the roots of roses, it
^^dll give them a good food supply.
Nitrate of Soda is a very stimulating food for vegetables. Use
1 tablespoonful in 4 quarts of water in the sprinkler. Do not use
until the plants are at least 3 inches high, and only once in two
weeks. Sprinkle ground near roots — do not sprinkle leaves.
Cow Manure and Sheep Manure may be purchased in powdered
form for use in a small garden, and in this form are most easily
managed by little folks.
Powdered Sheep Manure; dug in around the roots of roses once
a month assures a wealth of bloom.
Insecticides
All plants will be attacked by insects.
One of the best insecticides for children to use, because it is
not poisonous to human beings, is Slug Shot, a patent preparation,
A\"hich Avill kill worms and many other biting insects. It is inex-
pensive and need be dusted but lightly on foliage which is
bitten.
Tobacco tea made by throwing boiling water over tobacco
stems, and letting it cool, is used for aphides (Plant lice).
For other insecticides, see Chapter XXIX.
^
In the following blank pages, write down your own experience
in gardening; for example,
\<e-
^'.
^
y/
y^
\
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Remarks.
Plant in deep drills, in rich
earth. Give them a wire
frame to climb upon. Ncvci-
water at night, as the damp-
ness causes them to mildew.
Pick blossoms daily.
Some Hints on Growing Vegetables 357
358 The Mary Frances Garden Book
Name.
Dates.
Remarks.
Some Hints on Growing Vegetables 359
CHAPTER LIX
The City Garden
CHILDREN who live in the city usually have so
little ground that they are not often encouraged
to attempt gardening.
i^ Even in the tiny 9 x 12 foot city yard, provided
it has sunshine during some part of the day, a sur-
prising variety of plants may be grown.
In the new style of building, happily the old-fash-
ioned boarded-up fence is disappearing, being replaced
by iron fencing, which gives an open appearance and
admits air to the rear of the dwelling; but if one lives
where the garden is 'Svalled in," a great deal of pleas-
ure may be gained from —
Hanging Gardens
Along the sunniest wall of the garden, hang boxes on iron
brackets as shown in the picture on this page.
The lower garden should be placed high enough to let the
sunlight into the small hotbed which is placed on the ground.
In the upper garden, annual flowers and vines may be grown.
In the lower garden, plan to have —
[360]
•/■
The City Garden
A Soup and Sauce Garden
containing mint, parsley, chives, onions, little red peppers.
In the ground near the hotbed, you may grow tomatoes,
carrots, and —
Okra or Gumbo
Plant seeds in May. You will probably need only two plants,
one foot apart. Use the pods while young. "White Velvet"
is a good variety. The plants groAv three feet tall. In chicken
or tomato soujo the beautiful green odd-shaped slices give a richness
of flavor.
In using fresh thyme in soup, add it a few moments before
serving instead of cooking it from the first, and notice the improve-
ment of flavor.
In the hotbed garden you may have radishes and lettuce at
the time thej^ come with their tempting freshness and their high
prices in the Spring markets.
In the city, many flowering plants arc groAMi m sunny
windows. The following named will be found among the be.'^;
for the —
Indoor Garden
Hyacinths
Chinese Lilies
Tulips
Tuberous-rooted Begonias
Ferns
I The Mary Frances Garden Book
Bermuda Buttercup Oxalis blooms all winter in clusters of
golden yellow flowers. The foliage is beauti-
ful, resembling that of clover.
Grand Duchess Oxalis, in pink, is another
charming house plant. It comes in white and
lavender also.
The other types of Oxalis are pretty in
hanging baskets.
The bulbs of Oxalis cost from three to five
cents each. Plant six in a pot, and be certain
to give them good soil, partly leaf loam.
Keep them in a dark, cool place for a short
time. Water them as they dry out. Brmg
to the light gradually. They will sometimes
bloom in six weeks. Oxalis, already started,
may be had of a florist.
Another pretty house plant is a vine
gro\ATi from a sweet potato placed in a hya-
cinth glass or bottle of water.
For the dining table center piece, the
next time you have grapefruit for breakfast,
save the seeds, and plant them quite thick,
Sweet Potato Vine about one-half inch deep, in a shallow earthen
flower pot. Keep well watered. It may take
six weeks for the leaves to peep through, but they make a beauti-
ful green decoration for the house in winter.
The City Garden
Do not forget your strawflowers which you dried in the
Summer. They look pretty with the Japanese air plant, which
stays green so long without water.
Watering House Plants
Immerse the pot in a bucket of water, and leave it until it
stops bubbling. This done twice a week is far better than daily
sprinkling. Neither is it good to keep water in a saucer under a
plant ; the roots do not like a constant soaking. Wash the leaves
from time to time, and when the weather is warm enough, give
them some fresh air.
Tobacco dust will keep away green lice (aphides); so, also,
will Persian insect powder. Blow either on with little bellows,
or "air guns."
There is a plant food for house plants which is sold by dealers.
One teaspoonful dug into the earth once in two weeks is very bene-
ficial to their growth.
CHAPTER LX
Garden Color-Pictures
MOTHER NATURE never makes a mistake
if left to her own choice of colors.
Indeed, she is a real color artist. What
could be lovelier than the purple of the New England
aster, near the lavender of the Joe Pye weed, with an
interlacing of wild carrot and- yarrow; then, not too
near, the dangling orange jewel weed, and a little
farther away, the brown cat-tail — all set in a green
frame, in the soft light of the dove blue of the sk}^?
That is just one of Mother Nature's color-pictures.
If you watch her many pictures, you will learn that —
Flowers in. masses are more beautiful than in design.
That many white flowers are needed to divide the
severe contrast of colors.
That—
[ purple and lavender
Yellow combines well with J , ,
scarlet
I browns
Garden Color-Pictures
365
but that yellow does not combine well with crimson
or magenta.
yellow
Blue combines well with
cnmson, magenta
pink
Light pink and yellow are good together, depending
upon the shades.
It is difficult, .to. describe the beauty of Mary
Frances' garden. Peeping over thci green velvet of
the lawn is a border of low-growing white flowers
which look like ribbons of snow. They are sweet
alyssum — "Little Gem."
Just back of them come pink Baby Rambler roses;
next, a large mass of charming blue-lavender eupato-
rium; and "locking arms" with the eupatorium, on
the other side, is a rudbeckia, a bush bearing little
brown-eyed ' ' flowers .
Between the pink of the Baby Rambler and the
blue of the eupatorium is a bush of feverfew
between the blue of the eupatorium and the
the rudbeckia is the white of achillea.
Mary Frances says that she thinks that
A^t- •
366
The Mary Frances Garden Book
flowers . form the most perfect oolor-picture in her
garden.
On the other side of the garden are perennial sun-
flowers which are so much more desirable than golden
glow, and beneath them are brilliant nasturtiums.
One must remember that the various shades of
one color always combine well together.
For instance, in the Spring, Mary Frances has
pink tulips blooming just beneath a bush of flowering
almond; and daffodils beneath golden bell or forsy-
thia.
The flowering almond and forsythia shrubs that
Mary Frances has, she grew from little sprigs which a
neighbor gave her. She simply put them down into
the ground and kept them well watered!
All the flowers mentioned except nasturtiums are
hardy perennials, and have never had but the slightest
care since planting two years ago, except thinning
out where they became too thick.
D
CHAPTER LXI
Patterns for Paper Flowers
EAR Girls and Boys:
Don't you want to make a flower, now that
you^begin to know how wonderful they are?
To Make a Wild Rose
Materials required:
Pink, green, yellow tissue paper; white tracing paper; very
fine wire; heavy wire for stem; yellow beads; small piece bees-.
wax; pair small pincers; scissors; glue.
1. To make the corolla, —
(a) Lay a piece of pink tissue paper over the pattern of the
corolla shown in the picture on the next page.
(6) Cut out; and curl the tips of the petals, by drawing them
through between the thumb and blade of the scissors, just as
your mother does ostrich feathers.
2. Trace, through a piece of tracing paper, the calyx, and
foliage, as shown in the picture. Cut out, and use for patterns
in cutting green tissue paper calyx and leaves,
3. To make the stamens, —
(a) Cut three pieces of fine wire, two and a half inches long,
for the filaments. (See picture of stamens.)
[367]
Corolla
Cal^^x
(368)
ZYz. Inches ^ "^Wire filaTnents
How TO Make a Wild Rose
Patterns for Paper Flowers
369
(6) Fasten a small yellow bead anther on each end of the
wire filaments, by bending the end of the wire over the bead
with pincers. Fold the filament wires in half.
4. To make the pistil and stem, —
(a) Cut a piece of heavy wire six inches long — to form the
stem.
(6) On one end, fasten a large yellow bead to form the stigma.
Cut a piece of fine wire eight inches long. One inch below the
stigma bead, hold the folded filament wires in a little bundle
around the stem wire, and wind with the fine eight inch wire — to
form the ovanj. The heavy wire between the stigma and the
ovary represents the style.
5. Cut a piece of beeswax a little less than a half-inch square.
Mould it with the fingers under hot water until you have a soft
ball.
6. Slip the pink corolla up the ware stem until over the
wound wire. Spread the stamsns out to prevent the corolla
from slipping off.
7. Fit the beeswax over the wound wire to form the calyx
cup; and pack a tmy bit of yellow tissue paper into the opening
of the corolla under the stamens.
8. Wind the calyx cup with the green tissue paper calyx
which you cut by the pattern, and fasten the end with a tip of
glue.
9. Run a fine wire in and out through the stems of the foliage.
10. Cut a piece of green tissue paper eleven inches long and
one inch wide. Commencing at the green calyx cup, wind the
-■"/-I
■VV"
The Mary Frances Garden Book
stem of the rose with this green strip of paper. Half way down,
insert the petiole of the foliage, or leaves, under the strip, and
continue winding to the end of the stem. Fasten the end by
winding with fine wire.
There! you have the flower, and you know the
names of the parts as well as Billy and Mary Frances
know them.
CHAPTER LXII
The Mary Frances Garden Cut-Outs
EVERY boy or girl who will carefully make up
the Mary Frances Garden Cut-Outs, and will
study the lists of flow^ers printed on the reverse
side of each garden, will very soon become familiar
with the name, season of bloom, and appearance of
the best-known perennials. Notice the artistic effect
of ''massing," or grouping the same kind of plants
close together.
In order to recognize the flowers mentioned in the
lists, turn to Chapters VII, VIII, IX, and X, to read
descriptions.
Directions for Making
the mary frances garden cut-outs
1. Turn to the picture of Mary Frances* Play House before V,
the Children Planted the Gardens.
Cut along the red Unes A, B, C, on the edge of the picture ;
and D in center of grass plot.
2. Turn to Mary Frances' Garden Cut-Out No. 1— Early
Spring Hardy Garden.
[3711
The Mary Frances Garden Book
Detach or cut out the page.
Cut along the edges of each colored portion.
3. Insert the little flaps A, B, C, D, of the cut-out por-
tions into the openings A, B, C, D.
4. Follow the same directions in
Garden No. 2 — Early Summer Hardy Garden.
Garden No. 3 — Mid-Summer Hardy Garden.
Garden No. 4 — Late Sum.mer or Early Fall Hardy Garden.
You will be delighted with the fairy-like way in
which you have changed the landscape in front of
the picture of Mary Frances' Play House; but the
pictures give only a slight idea of the beauty of the
real gardens which Billy and Mary Frances made.
In order to see how beautiful the flowers are, you
will have to plant your own real gardens.
May they give you as much pleasure as they did
Billy and Mary Frances.
T
CHAPTER LXIII
Little Gardeners' Calendar
HE following plan was given to Mary Frances
and Eleanor by the boys.
They called it—
The Little Gardeners' Calendar
In Mid-Winter or January, plan out your garden, drawing a
map and filling in space.
A little later, in Fehruary, get the hotbed ready, and spray
roses with Bordeaux Arsenate of Lead, remembering it is a violent
poison. Use one tablespoon to a quart of water. This will help
prevent mildews and fungi.
In March, or even in Fehruary, studj^ seed catalogue and order
seeds.
Plant some seeds in the hotbed.
Prepare some of the out-door seed beds by spading and
manuring.
[373]
374 The Mary Frances Garden Book
In April, transplant hardier plants to cold frame, or open
ground.
^^ Spray everything agaui.
If weather is warm enough, sow seeds out of doors.
In May, sow seeds of some annuals and vegetables out-of-
doors. /
Look out for weeds: kill them while young.
In Jime, plant seeds and seedlings in open ground.
In July, plant late seeds; carrots, turnips, etc.
In August, start perennials for [next year. Weed!
In October, save seeds of annual flowers, labeling each envelop©
carefully.
Set out bulbs, unless you live below or near the Mason and
Dixon line; November is a better time in that case.
Little Gardeners' Calendar
375
In November, rake up leaves and make into compost heap.
Throw a little lime among them. Never bm-n them. They make
humus.
Take up summer bulbs and store them carefully.
Spread manure over the ground to be spaded in the Spring.
Hill earth about six inches high over rose bush roots.
Spread litter and leaves over bulbs and perennials to protect
them during winter.
In December, trim dead wood from rose bu^jhes.
Destroy nests of cocoons, burning them, and read the Mary
Frances Garden Book.
HCfflll
s
I
CHAPTER LXIV
Budding and Grafting
T
0 most boys and girls, the marvelous method
of getting new varieties of fruit is a matter of
great interest.
Graftino
hi budding, as you know, a bud is set under
the bark of a growing plant.
hi grafting, the top of the plant is cut off and
a branch of another plant is inserted. These
branches are usually cut in the Autumn and kept
in sand all winter.
In the Spring, the tree to be grafted is cut and
the branch (or, scion) is inserted, as shown in the
accompanying drawing, and held in place by raffia and grafting wax.
It was not until the boys' second winter at the
garden school that thej^ experimented with grafting
peach trees and budding rose bushes, and it was a year
later before they knew the result of their work.
If you are particularly interested in the subject,
send to the United States Department of Agriculture
for Bulletin No. 157, on ''The Propagation of Plants."
376]
CHAPTER LXV
Prizes at the County Fair
ii
K
EMEMBER in all gardening, that experi-
ence is your best teacher. Do not become
discouraged if you fail. Do not undertake
too much. Remember that most people fail to get
good plants because they do not prepare deep good
beds, and do not 'cultivate,' or stir the ground.
Watering is nothing like so necessarj'."
This is what Mary Frances was telling a number
of children in the garden one day as Billy came upon
her unawares.
''You couldn't have better advice, children," he said.
"Than Billy gave me," Mary Frances added.
"He taught two friends and me so well, that next year
we are each to have our own garden plot, and 'race'
with Billy to see w^ho can raise the finest vegetables."
"Some of the very finest are to be sent to the
County Fair," stated Billy.
"And they'll be 'winners,' you may be sure," Bob
prophesied as he and Eleanor joined the group.
[377 1
-'i^::;'
378
The Mary Frances Garden Book
m
"So will some of our flowers, won't they, Nell?"
Before Eleanor could answer Mary Frances, there
sounded the joyous shrill crow of Feather Flop.
"I'm sure they will!" it meant to the little girl, but
none of the others seemed to hear the rooster.
Perhaps he did know — ^for one year from that day,
each of the children received some premiums at the
County Fair; but, to Mary Frances' surprise, she had
three more than Eleanor; two more than Bob, and
one more than Billy!
"I wonder why your garden did better than all the
rest," said Bob. "You didn't seem to work any
harder than we did."
"Oh, it was just a 'happen so,' " answered Mary
Frances, but she remembered that many a morning
she had seen prints of the claws of Feather Flop in her
garden, and a little pile of weeds at
The Mary Frances Books
For Teaching Useful Things in an Entertaining Way
By Jane Eayre Fryer
These are not mere story books to
be read through and cast aside. They
are instruction books in story form
which the youthful readers joyfully
study because they think it is play.
But in this play they learn principles
of usefulness which fascinate because
of the manner in which these prin-
ciples are presented.
THE MARY FRANCES GARDEN BOOK, or Adventures Among the Garden People. The spirit
of comradeship and of loving understanding of little men and women thoroughly permeates this unique
garden book. The enchantment of the story of Mary Frances' gardens successfully carries the play-
lesson idea, as the most potent method of creating a love for work and learning, into a realm un-
dreamed of before. The little reader's delight is heightened by cut-out gardens which are inserted
in the book. These cut-out gardens are beautifully colored to show the natural color of the flowers,
insects, etc. They include a playhouse, April and May garden, June and July garden, August and
September garden, vegetable garden, etc., and will not only familiarize the child with the plants
and their seasons of bloom, but also inspire a love for practical outdoor gardening. The world was
begun in a garden, and the story of reproduction is given in a most reserved and skilful manner as
the great plan for the perpetuation of life. Size 1% x 9^ inches. Illustrations on every page, with
colored cut-out gardens. Cloth, with colored inlay on front Net $1.50
THE MARY FRANCES HOUSEKEEPER, or Adventures Among the Doll People. A glimpse
into this book is enough to make a girl's heart leap. Here she finds not only the story of the Paper
Doll Family of Sandpile Village, and how they acquired a home, but also the paper dolls themselves —
thirty-six large sheets of dolls and of the new, patented kind of cut-out furniture. The practical
explanation of household duties and management are woven in so skilfully that as the story tells
how Mary Frances learned to dust, to sweep, or make beds, the little reader takes it all in eagerly
as part of the story. 250 pages. 7% x 9% inches. Illustrations on every page. Cloth, with
colored inlay on front Net $1.50
THE MARY FRANCES SEWING BOOK, or Adventures Among the Thimble People. It tells.
in as quaint and delightful a story as ever appealed to a child's imagination, how the fairy "Thimble
People" teach Mary Frances to sew. It teaches the reader how to sew — how to make every variety
of garment — how to make the various stitches — how to use patterns — how to fold and cut the
material — how to piece it together. The book includes a complete set of patterns for doll clothes —
undergarments — street clothes — coats — hats — even a wedding dress. 300 colored illustrations.
320 pages. 1% x 9>^ inches. Cloth, with colored inlay on front Net $1.50
THE MARY FRANCES COOK BOOK, or Adventures Among the Kitchen People. This win-
some book so happily combines fact and fancy that any girl who reads it will all unconsciously absorb
the principles of cookery while devouring the most fascinating sort of story. It throws a glamor
around the processes of baking and boiling and leads girls into pleasant habits of usefulness and
industry. The book gives recipes in the simplest, plainest words. It describes every operation
clearly — just what Mary Frances did, and how she learned to avoid mistakes. The book stimu-
lates the imagination and creates a desire to follow Mary Frances' example. Cloth, 170 pages.
1j4 X 9% inches. Over 200 colored illustrations Net $1.20
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Gilt top, uncut leaves , $2.00
THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY
PUBLISHERS PHILADELPHIA
DATE DUE
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Demco. Inc. 38-293
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